Talk Out of School: Recent Episodes
Leonie Haimson
SI Advance: https://www.silive.com/education/2026/08/pension-reversal-threatens-to-upend-retirement-for-dozens-of-nyc-paraprofessionals.html
The City Reporter: https://www.thecityreporter.nyc/2026/08/06/uft-school-paraprofessionals-disability-pension-cuts-mamdani/
The Chief Leader: https://www.thechiefleader.com/stories/very-unusual-and-very-cruel-trs-cuts-paraprofessional-pensions-in-half-demands-backpay,57311
Chalkbeat, Mayor Zohran Mamdani names 13 school board members, cementing control of NYC schools, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026/07/28/mamdani-appoints-new-york-city-school-board-pep-members
Illinois Families for Public Schools, MEDIA RELEASE: Advocates Call on Chicago School Board Candidates to Pledge to Protect Human-Centered Education, https://www.ilfps.org/media_release_pledge_human_centered_ed_cps
Email to send to your Senators to oppose the College Transparency Act , https://actionnetwork.org/letters/please-send-a-message-to-your-senators-reps-urging-them-to-oppose-the-college-transparency-act-that-would-authorize-federal-surveillance-of-all-college-students-throughout-their-lives
Organizational sign-on letter, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q81ppj2rcprQybaQ9K3-aAL-PgKwpVla/edit](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q81ppj2rcprQybaQ9K3-aAL-PgKwpVla/edit
Guide to Chicago’s November school board elections, https://www.chicagoreporter.com/tcrs-guide-to-chicagos-november-school-board-elections/
Cassie Creswell: Illinois and Iowa private school voucher programs, https://qctimes.com/opinion/column/article\_597a1bb1-c249-4dce-8cde-805c392f3594.html
The 2013 mass public school closure and firearm violence in Chicago: A quasi-experimental difference-in-differences analysis, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953626005046
Public school closings in Chicago linked to more gun violence in nearby neighborhoods, https://news.uchicago.edu/story/public-school-closings-chicago-linked-more-gun-violence-nearby-neighborhoods
Chalkbeat: Council approves $10k perk for public school paraprofessionals
Daily News: NYC Council approves $10K checks for teacher aides, Mamdani considers ‘next steps’
The Wire: The Respect Check Passes: A Temporary Victory Built By Pressure - And the Unfinished Fight.
The Wire: The Good, Bad and Ugly - The NYC Para Bill
Daily News: Council paraprofessionals bill breaks N.Y. law
The Wire: The Newly Revised UFT Para Bill: The Promise That Kept Shrinking
Union Matters: Real Respect for Paras
Chalkbeat, What’s Mamdani’s agenda for K-12 education in NYC? 6 months in, it’s hard to say, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026/07/07/mamdani-education-agenda-after-six-months-as-mayor/
NY TImes, Mamdani Reverses Call to End Mayoral Control of Public Schools, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/31/nyregion/mamdani-nyc-public-schools-mayoral-control.html
Daily News, NYC public schools puts technology purchases on hold amid heated debate over AI policy, https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/07/08/nyc-public-schools-puts-technology-purchases-on-hold-amid-heated-debate-over-ai-policy/?share=cowc0wthmoidhobmelde
Daily News, NYC specialized high schools continue to offer few seats to Black and Hispanic students, https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/07/10/nyc-specialized-high-schools-few-black-hispanic-students/?share=0csowdynosdsiisneonc
Leonie Haimson, The Mayor’s cuts to class size funding; do they make sense? https://classsizematters.org/the-mayors-cuts-to-class-size-funding-do-they-make-sense/
Zohran Mamdani's responses to the NYC Kids PAC survey, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bjazxfsUKHrtuNnQpkxW3OGFNJdRwPVD/view
David Bloomfield, Daily New oped: Troubles for Kamar Samuels & NYC schools, https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/07/12/troubles-for-kamar-samuels-nyc-schools/?share=mosoltmc0k0ouwds0mml
914 Inc News, How a Monroe University Assignment Became an Award-Winning Documentary; https://914inc.com/monroe-university-tyrone-documentary/
INDIE SHORT FEST winner, Tyrone; https://indieshortfest.com/2026/02/26/tyrone/
Tyrone film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2XWJBz-lbc
Class Size Matters, Testimony on DOE’s shoddy privacy & AI policies; also lowlights & highlights from the hearing, https://classsizematters.org/testimony-on-does-shoddy-privacy-ai-policies-lowlights-highlights-from-the-hearing/
Randi Weingarten, Why Fascists Fear Teachers, Public Education, and the Future of Democracy, https://bookshop.org/p/books/why-fascists-fear-teachers-public-education-and-the-future-of-democracy-randi-weingarten/86407292f508ba9
19th News, Education Department changes are leaving millions of vulnerable students at risk , https://19thnews.org/2026/06/education-changes-trump-special-ed/
LDF Condemns the U.S. Department of Education’s Latest Efforts to Dismantle Agency and Abandon Students’ Civil Rights, https://www.naacpldf.org/press-release/ldf-condemns-the-u-s-department-of-educations-latest-efforts-to-dismantle-agency-and-abandon-students-civil-rights/
Randi Weingarten, Devices down, eyes up, hands-on:10 points to boost student learning and success in the AI era, https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2026/weingarten_npc_speech-may-27-2026.pdf
NBC News, Teachers union president calls for limits on AI and screen time in schools, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/education/randi-weingarten-teachers-union-limits-ai-screen-time-school-rcna346871
Class Size Matters/Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, Critique of the NYC AI Guidance; https://classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Detailed-critique-of-AI-guidance-final-4.25.26.pdf
NBC News, Los Angeles becomes the first major school district to require screen time limits; https://www.nbcnews.com/news/education/los-angeles-school-district-require-screen-time-limits-rcna332173
K12 Dive; LAUSD imposes screen time limits starting in 2026-27; https://www.k12dive.com/news/lausd-imposes-screen-time-limits-starting-in-2026-27/818224/
Schools Beyond Screens website, https://www.schoolsbeyondscreens.com/
Student Tech Bill of Rights, https://www.schoolsbeyondscreens.com/student-tech-bill-of-rights
In this episode, we take a hard look at the financial strategies shaping New York City’s future—and what they could mean for workers and retirees. From pension re-amortization proposals and potential borrowing through pension obligation bonds, to the broader implications of pattern bargaining and the uncertain status of Intro 1096, this conversation cuts through the noise.
NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees - http://nycretirees.org
Arthur Goldstein's Union Matters Substack - http://arthurgoldstein.substack.com
New York Times - Mamdani Considers Delaying Pension-Fund Payments to Ease Budget Gap
The Wire - Balancing the Budget on Borrowed Time: NYC’s Pension Shell Game
Politico: Mamdani allies urge him to issue moratorium on AI in schools, https://classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Politico.-Mamdani-allies-urge-him-to-issue-moratorium-on-AI-in-schools-4.17.26.pdf
NY Daily News, NYC parents tell Mayor Mamdani: ‘Slow your horses’ on AI in the classroom, https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/04/16/nyc-parents-mayor-mamdani-ai-classroom/?share=w1oyinhns1tmmyaicamh
Fortune, Exclusive: Doctors and education experts who studied AI’s impact on the young call for a 5-year moratorium in schools
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/exclusive-doctors-education-experts-studied-070100644.html
Say Yes to Recess resolution, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OUzKvVhnicMVlqk1n5Nuh7NxTfi8cAHwuqlaFUJaeV0/edit?usp=drivesdk
The Atlantic, How Finland Keeps Kids Focused Through Free Play, https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/06/how-finland-keeps-kids-focused/373544/
Say Yes to Recess Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/821093494186924/
Contact Say Yes to Recess: NewYork@SayYestoRecess.com
Class Size Matters' testimony on the DOE's preliminary budget for FY 2027, https://classsizematters.org/testimony-on-the-doe-preliminary-education-budget-for-fy-2027/
Class Size Working Group final report, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gSiFUcuLOjJ49PLCMptkroFjXBHow2b_/view
AI Moratorium Coalition rejects DOE's inadequate AI guidance, https://studentprivacymatters.org/ai-moratorium-coalition-rejects-doe-inadequate-ai-guidance/
Daily News, NYC public schools to release guidelines for AI use in classroom, https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/03/23/nyc-public-schools-ai-guidelines-classroom/?share=chnlnm3clrwhc0scoy2y
Gothamist, NYC schools get AI guidance using 'red light, green light' model. https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-schools-get-ai-guidance-using-red-light-green-light-model
Petition calling for an AI moratorium, https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/please-enact-a-two-year-moratorium-on-the-use-of-ai-in-nyc-public-schools?clear_id=true
EdWeek, The State of Teaching 2026, https://www.edweek.org/the-state-of-teaching/2026
Chalkbeat, Kamar Samuels’ cabinet: Your guide to the Education Department’s new leadership team https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026/03/05/kamar-samuels-nyc-education-department-cabinet-leadership-team/
NY Times, U.S. Schools Are Betting Big on A.I. Will New York City Be Next?, https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/nyregion/nyc-ai-schools-mamdani.html
Petition calling for Moratorium on AI https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/please-enact-a-two-year-moratorium-on-the-use-of-ai-in-nyc-public-schools?clear_id=true
Why bills restricting protests around schools are unwise and unfair by Rasheedah Brown-Harris, https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2026/03/why-bills-restricting-protests-around.html
Columbia Spectator, Demonstrators outside of City Hall protest ‘buffer zone’ legislation to limit protests outside schools and religious spaces, [https://www.columbiaspectator.com/city-news/2026/03/02/demonstrators-outside-of-city-hall-protest-buffer-zone-legislation-to-limit-protests-outside-schools-and-religious-spaces
At hearing, Menin gets mixed feedback on her protest barrier bill
https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2026/02/hearing-menin-gets-mixed-feedback-her-protest-barrier-bill/411699/
Unions, NYCLU Slam Bills That Would Grant Police More Power Over Protests
https://www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/25/faculty-unions-menin-protest-bill/
What to Know About the ‘Abortion Clinic’ Law Being Used to Charge Don Lemon
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/us/politics/face-act-lemon-explainer.html
AQE letter, Tell City Council: NO NYPD buffer zones, protect free speech, protect students!
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-city-council-no-nypd-buffer-zones-protect-free-speech-protect-students
Kaliris speaks to District 3 parents from PS 191, Community Action and Center School about utilization proposals and more.
Learn more about David here: http://wetrustdavid.org/Bio
Learn more about NYCTRS: https://www.trsnyc.org
NY1, Sen. Liu on the NY Education budget, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbrPmoS70Do
Queens Chronicle, Chancellor expresses concern on class size https://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/chancellor-expresses-concern-on-class-size/article_0f35d866-9ec5-52cb-8bf5-2d3e8b5155d7.html
NYC Parents, Testimony on Mayoral control from Diane Ravitch, Class Size Matters, and other advocates & parent leaders https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2026/02/hearings-and-testimony-on-mayoral.html
Brookings Institution, A New Direction for Students in an AI World; https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/A-New-Direction-for-Students-in-an-AI-World-FULL-REPORT.pdf;
A one-page summary of the Brookings report; https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/A-New-Direction-for-Students-in-an-AI-World-ONE-PAGER.pdf
NPR, The risks of AI in schools outweigh the benefits, report says; https://www.npr.org/2026/01/14/nx-s1-5674741/ai-schools-education
Brookings fact sheets on AI for parents; https://www.brookings.edu/articles/tips-for-parents-raising-resilient-learners-in-an-ai-world/ fact sheets for parents
Kaliris has a conversation with three leaders in education policy around integration and culturally responsive and sustaining education focused on the new Chancellor's priorities. They discuss whether they represent a new vision for public schools in NYC.
Daniel, Leonie and Kaliris discuss the best and worst education stories of 2025: Part II
Daniel, Leonie and Kaliris discuss the best and worst education stories, nationally and locally, in 2025. Part II was aired a week later.
National Center for Charter School Accountability, Charter School Reckoning, Part I: Decline at https://networkforpubliceducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Charter-School-Reckoning-FINAL-1.pdf
Charter School Reckoning, Part II: Disillusionment https://networkforpubliceducation.org/part-ii-charter-school-reckoning-disillusionment/
Video, Charter School Reckoning Part II, https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1148156897
Network for Public Education, Charter School Reckoning: Disillusionment; https://networkforpubliceducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Charter-School-Reckoning-Disillusionment.pdf
FTC takes action against Illuminate for failing to secure student data; https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/12/ftc-takes-action-against-education-technology-provider-failing-secure-students-personal-data
AG Letitia James Secures $51 million fine from Illuminate; https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-and-multistate-coalition-secure-51-million-education
Fairplay Advisory on AI Toys; https://fairplayforkids.org/pf/aitoyadvisory/
US PIRG, Trouble in Toyland 2025,; https://publicinterestnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TOYLAND-2025-11-14-7a.pdf has mentions
KPTV, AI toys top list in annual ‘Trouble in Toyland’ report this holiday season; https://www.kptv.com/2025/11/14/ai-toys-top-list-annual-trouble-toyland-report-this-holiday-season/
Ballotpedia, State Policies on cellphone use in schools, https://ballotpedia.org/State_policies_on_cellphone_use_in_K-12_public_schools
Fairplay, Survivor Parents ‘Deeply Disappointed’ in House Version of the Kids Online Safety Act, Urge Congress to Pass Senate Version; https://fairplayforkids.org/survivor-parents-deeply-disappointed-in-house-version-of-the-kids-online-safety-act-urge-congress-to-pass-senate-version/
The Hill, Deep divides plague kids online safety push in House' https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5630434-deep-divides-plague-kids-online-safety-push-in-house/
NY Daily News, Mamdani plan to scale back NYC gifted and talented program reignites simmering controversy, https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/10/04/mamdani-plan-to-scale-back-nyc-gifted-and-talented-program-reignites-simmering-controversy/ and
James Borland, Gifted Education Without Gifted Childre. https://assets.cambridge.org/97805215/47307/excerpt/, 9780521547307_excerpt.pdf
Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Developmenthttps://gifted.uconn.edu/schoolwide-enrichment-model/ https://gifted.uconn.edu/schoolwide-enrichment-model/
Jennifer Berkshire's books, The Education Wars and Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door: The Dismantling of Public Education and the Future of School , https://www.amazon.com/Education-Wars-Citizens-Defense-Manual/dp/1620978547/ and https://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Schoolhouse-Door-Dismantling-Education/dp/1620977958/ref=sr_1_1
Jennifer Berkshire, Education Helped Power the Blue Wave, https://educationwars.substack.com/p/education-helped-power-the-blue-wave
Laura Pappano, School Moms: Parent Activism, Partisan Politics, and the Battle for Public Education, https://www.amazon.com/School-Moms-Activism-Partisan-Education/dp/0807012661
Laura Pappano, At Moms for Liberty summit, parents urged to turn their grievances into lawsuits, https://hechingerreport.org/at-moms-for-liberty-summit-parents-urged-to-turn-their-grievances-into-lawsuits/
Jake Zuckerman, Culture warriors lost school board races all around Ohio, https://signalohio.org/culture-warriors-lost-school-board-races-all-around-ohio/
David Pepper, Lesson: People Don't Want Crazy on their School Boards, https://davidpepper.substack.com/p/lesson-people-dont-want-crazy-on?r=g8fo&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true
Arne Duncan, America is in an ‘education depression.’ This solution is a no-brainer, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/11/03/democrats-education-tax-credit-duncan/
Jessica Seaman, Colorado teacher unions ride blue wave to victory in school board races, https://www.denverpost.com/2025/11/06/colorado-teacher-union-school-board-elections/
Jenny Brundin, Supporters of Propositions MM and LL declare victory, https://www.cpr.org/2025/11/04/proposition-ll-mm-funding-free-school-meals-results/
Scotus Blog, Mahmoud v. Taylor https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/case-files/mahmoud-v-taylor/
Maggie Scales, Lexington parent sues district over lessons that “normalize LGBTQ relationships” , https://lexobserver.org/2025/11/07/lexington-parent-sues-district-for-burdening-childs-religious-upbringing/
Class Size Matters presentation, How NYC parents can better protect their children's privacy https://classsizematters.org/how-nyc-can-better-protect-their-childrens-privacy/
Questions parents should be asking their schools about their use of ed tech and privacy practices, https://classsizematters.org/questions-nyc-public-school-parents-should-ask-schools-about-their-use-of-ed-tech-and-privacy-practices
City Council hearings on the bus contracts, https://citymeetings.nyc/meetings/new-york-city-council/2024-09-30-1000-am-committee-on-education/chapter/long-standing-bus-contracts-and-the-need-for-rebidding/
Senate bill 1018 on Busing Employee Protection Provisions www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1018
Gothamist, School bus service is already rough in NYC. It could get worse, https://gothamist.com/news/school-bus-service-is-already-rough-in-nyc-it-could-get-worse
Parents to Improve School Transportation website, https://www.pistnyc.org/
PIST virtual meetings this month are: Friday Oct 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday Oct 21 at 1:00 p.m. details at: https://www.pistnyc.org/events/2025-26-pist-meeting
Chancellor Ramos delivers 2025 State of our Schools remarks;
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/news/announcements/contentdetails/2025/09/29/chancellor-melissa-aviles-ramos-delivers-2025-state-of-our-schools-remarks
Liat Olenick, NYC schools need a moratorium on AI; https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/08/03/nyc-schools-need-a-moratorium-on-ai/
An Open Letter to AFT President Randi Weingarten on the Potential and Pitfalls of the New National Academy for AI Instruction
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ey1BTwubPbhT7-Q1FIJzR0Tdr8aEgyXfEp46OLT94sU/edit?tab=t.0
If you are interested in organizing around AI in schools, add your email here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiHgNbOAMI1z_KJY-ioO3tYXUnUP4geIIxZMD-hGb22U2hjQ/viewform
Karen Hao, Empire of AI; https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743569/empire-of-ai-by-karen-hao/
Stateline, More than half the states have issued AI guidance for schools; https://stateline.org/2025/07/15/more-than-half-the-states-have-issued-ai-guidance-for-schools/
Microsoft press release, AFT to launch National Academy for AI Instruction with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic and United Federation of Teachers; https://news.microsoft.com/source/2025/07/08/aft-to-launch-national-academy-for-ai-instruction-with-microsoft-openai-anthropic-and-united-federation-of-teachers/
National Academy for AI Instruction home page; https://aiinstruction.org/
UFT News, AI academy launches, https://www.uft.org/news/news-stories/news-stories/ai-academy-launches
Gothamist, Big Tech, NYC teachers union join forces in new AI initiative that's drawing concerns; https://gothamist.com/news/big-tech-nyc-teachers-union-join-forces-in-new-ai-initiative-thats-drawing-concerns
Korea Herald, South Korea pulls plug on AI textbooks, https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10546695
Edutopia, What Happened the Year I Banned AI; https://www.edutopia.org/article/banning-ai-tools-class
Gothamist, “From burner phones to decks of cards: NYC teens are adjusting to the smartphone ban”
https://gothamist.com/news/from-burner-phones-to-decks-of-cards-nyc-teens-are-adjusting-to-the-smartphone-ban?ref=hellgatenyc.com
Chalkbeat, “Cellphones out, Chromebooks in: NYC to give 350,000 students new laptops with free internet”
https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/09/08/nyc-students-get-350000-chromebooks-to-bridge-digital-divide/
Andrew Cuomo: “My plan to deliver for NYC’s 1 million schoolkids,” NY Post https://nypost.com/2025/09/08/opinion/andrew-cuomo-my-plan-to-deliver-for-nycs-1-million-schoolkids/
Chalkbeat, “NYC’s next mayor could shake up the schools chancellor search. This group has ideas for doing that.”
https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/09/10/mayoral-control-over-nyc-schools-chancellor-search-could-test-mamdani/
RJPS, “Beyond the Moment: Building the Future of NYC Public Education.” https://www.eventbrite.com/e/school-is-in-session-launching-the-rjps-education-roadmap-tickets-1591781654779
Ashana Bigard, “Beyond Resilience: Katrina 20”
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Resilience-Unbreakable-Defending-Community/dp/B0FLVJ3TJT
Ashana Bigard, The Progressive Magazine, “The Billion-Dollar Experiment: How New Orleans’ Charter School Revolution Failed the Children It Promised to Save.” https://pv4ps.org/the-billion-dollar-experiment-how-new-orleans-charter-school-revolution-failed-the-children-it-promised-to-save/
Kaliris interviews Tom Sheppard, former CEC Bronx Representative on the Panel for Educational Policy, who reflects on his time on the Panel.
Alexandra Freidus, Unequal Lessons: School Diversity and Educational Inequality in New York City, https://nyupress.org/9781479827817/unequal-lessons/
Alexandra Freidus, CV, https://education.uconn.edu/person/alexandra-freidus/
WEB Dubois, Does the Negro Does the Negro Need Separate Schools?
https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/freedom/1917beyond/essays/does-the-negro-need-seperate-schools.pdf
Politico, Brooklyn school rezoning proposal at heart of diversity debate is approved, https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2016/01/brooklyn-school-rezoning-proposal-at-heart-of-diversity-debate-is-approved-029673
DNA Info, Schools Boss Touts Pen Pal System as Substitute for Racial Integration, https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20151029/upper-west-side/schools-boss-touts-pen-pal-system-as-substitute-for-racial-integration/
| | | | Ed Week, Senators—Including Republicans—Reject All of Trump’s Proposed Education Cuts, https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/senators-including-republicans-reject-all-of-trumps-proposed-education-cuts/2025/07Text of College Transparency Act, https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/cta_textpdf.pdf2022 Letter to Congress from privacy, consumer & education groups in opposition to the College Transparency Acthttps://studentprivacymatters.org/letter-to-congress-from-privacy-consumer-education-groups-in-opposition-to-the-college-transparency-act/Chalkbeat, Fewer Black and Latino students win offers to attend specialized high schools, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/07/31/nyc-specailized-high-school-admissions-data-eric-adams-segregation/NYC Parent Blog, New evidence of an extreme gender bias in selective high school admissions demands an independent evaluation of the exam https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2018/03/new-evidence-of-extreme-gender-bias-in.html |
Union Matter - Arthur Goldstein blog
NY Post - NYC teachers’ union boss Mike Mulgrew ousts rivals, critics from UFT payroll in 'purge'
The Wire - 'We Are the Union': Time to Let UFT Staffers Unionize and End Patronage Rule
Katie Helene Substack - The Purge: When Standing Up Gets You Removed
Chalkbeat - NYC schools to get $29 million for cellphone ban. But when will funds arrive?
NPR - Supreme Court says Trump's efforts to close the Education Department can continue
Politico, Zohran Mamdani leads general election poll for NYC mayor, https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/09/zohran-mamdani-leads-general-election-poll-00443469
AI in the classroom, Presentation at Network for Public Education conference, April 6, 2025, https://studentprivacymatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AI-for-NPE-final-.pdf
AFT press release, AFT to Launch National Academy for AI Instruction with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic and United Federation of Teachers, https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-launch-national-academy-ai-instruction-microsoft-openai-anthropic-and-united
AFT press conference, https://www.youtube.com/live/s1WWs_fZwAc?si=4nqqGR4UxfoPNjBC
NYTimes, OpenAI and Microsoft Bankroll New A.I. Training for Teachers, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/technology/chatgpt-teachers-openai-microsoft.html
NY Times, A Classroom Experiment, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/09/briefing/artificial-intelligence-education-students.html
Julian Vasquez Heilig, AI Code Red: Supercharging Racism, Rewriting History, and Hijacking Learning, https://cloakinginequity.com/2025/06/20/code-red-how-ai-is-set-to-supercharge-racism-rewrite-history-and-hijack-learning/
Diane Ravitch, An Education: How I Changed My Mind About Schools and Almost Everything Else, preorder at https://cup.columbia.edu/book/an-education/9780231220293/
Science, Senate spending panel would rescue science funding, https://www.science.org/content/article/senate-spending-panel-would-rescue-nsf-and-nasa-science-funding
NYC Retirees - http://nycretirees.org
Chalkbeat NY - Zohran Mamdani on education: The Democratic primary winner’s plans for NYC schools
Chalkbeat NY - NYC budget deal includes free child care pilot program, boost for preschoolers with disabilities
CNN - Supreme Court sides with parents who want to opt their children out of LGBTQ books in schools
NYC Parent Blog, The NYC Mayoral debate and what the candidates said on class size, https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-nyc-mayoral-debate-regarding-class.html
NY1, Mayoral winner likely won’t be clear until July 1, https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2025/06/19/nyc-mayoral-primary-winner-likely-won-t-be-clear-until-july-1-thanks-to-ranked-choice-voting
NYC Comptroller, Complaints Received Concerning the 2023 Elections of Community and Citywide Education Councils, https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/complaints-received-concerning-the-2023-elections-of-community-and-citywide-education-councils/
NY Times, A Culture-War Battle Convulses a School Panel in Liberal Manhattan, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/nyregion/maud-maron-transgender-nyc-school-council.html
Gay City News, Community Education Council accused of obstructing votes on trans resolutions, https://gaycitynews.com/community-education-council-vote-trans-resolutions/
Chalkbeat, Backlash over culture wars brings new energy to NYC’s parent council elections, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/05/09/backlash-culture-wars-brings-energy-parent-council-elections/
Gothamist, Elections to NYC parents council see persistently low turnout after culture war controversies, https://gothamist.com/news/elections-to-nyc-parents-council-see-persistently-low-turnout-after-culture-war-controversies
Chalkbeat, Low turnout, a shakeup in District 2, and more: what to know about NYC parent council elections, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/06/16/community-education-council-election-results-place-aqe/
Matt Gonzales is a longtime organizer, policy expert, and champion for education justice. He’s worked with IntegrateNYC, NY Appleseed, and the NYU Metro Center — and most recently, he’s been supporting the work of NY4RJPS, the New York Coalition for Racially Just Public Schools. Together, they’ve launched a bold education justice roadmap to demand real, community-driven solutions from the next mayor of NYC. He and Kaliris spoke about what’s broken, what’s possible, and who’s leading the fight to transform our public schools from the ground up.
Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, Parent, advocate letter opposing weakening of Chancellor's regulation A-820 https://studentprivacymatters.org/parent-leaders-elected-officials-advocates-members-of-chancellors-data-privacy-working-group-urge-chancellor-ramos-to-postpone-vote-on-student-privacy-regulation-and-allow-parents-the-rig/
WJFF Radio, New York’s Native American Mascot Ban Under Federal Probe, As Activists and Academics Highlight Harm https://wjffradio.org/new-yorks-native-american-mascot-ban-under-federal-probe-as-activists-and-academics-highlight-harm
AP, NY school refuses to give up Native American mascot — and gets Trump’s support https://www.syracuse.com/state/2025/04/ny-school-refuses-to-give-up-native-american-mascot-and-gets-trumps-support.html
NYSED, Background and Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Part 123 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Prohibiting the Use of Indigenous Names, Mascots, and Logos by Public Schools https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/indigenous-education/indigenous-mascot-regulation-background-and-faq.pdf
Class Size Matters June 7 Parent Action Conference https://classsizematters.org/sign-up-for-our-annual-parent-action-confrence-does-posted-class-size-plan-for-next-year-and-more/
Chalkbeat, Lawyers for Bronx high school student detained by ICE file petition for immediate release https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/05/30/lawyers-petition-to-release-bronx-high-school-student-detained-by-ice/
Gothamist, 4-year-old migrant girl, other kids go to court in NYC with no lawyer: 'The cruelty is apparent' https://gothamist.com/news/4-year-old-migrant-girl-other-kids-go-to-court-in-nyc-with-no-lawyer-the-cruelty-is-apparent
The 74, Trump’s Deportation Database Puts Students at Risk https://www.the74million.org/article/trumps-deportation-database-puts-students-at-risk/
Daily News, New formula for N.Y. State education aid turns out to be bad news for NYC, https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/05/08/new-formula-for-n-y-state-education-aid-turns-out-to-be-bad-news-for-nyc/
Times Union, Education commissioner says NY may trade away private school regulations, https://www.timesunion.com/education/article/education-commissioner-says-ny-trade-away-private-20310333.php
NY Times, New York May Weaken Its Oversight Over Religious Schools, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/nyregion/new-york-hasidic-schools-oversight.html
Scotus Blog, Supreme Court divided over approving first religious charter school , https://www.scotusblog.com/2025/04/supreme-court-divided-over-approving-first-religious-charter-school/
The 74, Big Education Issues at Stake as Supreme Court Hears Religious Charter Case, www.the74million.org/article/big-education-issues-at-stake-as-supreme-court-hears-religious-charter-case/
Julian Vasquez Heilig's blog, Cloaking Inequity, https://cloakinginequity.com/
US Dept of Education "Dear Colleague" letter, February 14, 2025, https://www.ed.gov/media/document/dear-colleague-letter-sffa-v-harvard-109506.pdf
US Dept of Education requesting districts certify compliance with Title VI, April 3, 2025, https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/ed-requires-k-12-school-districts-certify-compliance-title-vi-and-students-v-harvard-condition-of-receiving-federal-financial-assistance
Des Moines Register, Fearing federal DEI policies, Waterloo schools withdrew from African American reading event, March 12, 2025
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/2025/03/11/waterloo-schools-withdraw-african-american-read-in-trump-dei/81949713007/
NY State letter to US Dept of Education, rejecting request for district certification on DEI, April 4, 2025 https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25879984-040425-dmb-to-ocr-re-request-for-title-vi-certification/
District Administration, States now falling in line with DEI order; resistance remains, April 16, 2025
https://districtadministration.com/article/one-big-state-is-vowing-to-defy-trumps-dei-order/
ACLU, Information about ACLU and NEA lawsuit challenging the Department of Education’s Feb. 14, 2025, Dear Colleague Letter,
https://www.aclu-nh.org/en/cases/nea-and-nea-nh-v-us-department-education
NAACP lawsuit, https://www.naacpldf.org/wp-content/uploads/001-Complaint-NAACP-v.-U.S.-Dept-of-Educ.-et-al_.pdf
WMUR, Federal judge considering whether to stop enforcement of Dept. of Education letter regarding DEI policies, April 17, 2025
https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-aclu-education-dept-dei-lawsuit/64515739
U.S. Department of Education press release, Letters to 60 Universities Under Investigation for Antisemitic Discrimination and Harassment, March 10, 2025 https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-educations-office-civil-rights-sends-letters-60-universities-under-investigation-antisemitic-discrimination-and-harassment
The Guardian, Columbia University caves to demands to restore $400m from Trump administration, March 21, 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/21/columbia-university-funding-trump-demands
Michael Roth, NYT oped, Trump Is Selling Jews a Dangerous Lie, April 7, 2025,
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/opinion/trump-jewish-antisemitism-wesleyan.html
Trump administration letter to Harvard threatening loss of funding, April 11, 2025
https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Letter-Sent-to-Harvard-2025-04-11.pdf
Alan Garber, Harvard President, The Promise of American Higher Education, April 14, 2025
https://www.harvard.edu/president/news/2025/the-promise-of-american-higher-education/
Chronicle of Higher Education, These Faculty Senates Are Trying to Band Together to Stand Up to Trump, April 14, 2025
https://www.chronicle.com/article/these-faculty-senates-are-trying-to-band-together-to-stand-up-to-trump
ABC News, Trump admin freezes billions in funding to Harvard University after rejecting demands, April 15, 2025
https://abcnews.go.com/US/harvard-university-rejects-trump-administrations-demands-risking-billions/story?id=120799115
Fortune, Harvard’s defiance of Trump’s ‘authoritarian incursion’ supported by over 80 past and present college and university presidents, April 15, 2025 https://fortune.com/2025/04/15/harvard-defiance-trump-supported-college-university-presidents/?abc123
Bryan Alexander's blog, “The professors are the enemy”: J.D. Vance on higher education, July 18, 2024
https://bryanalexander.org/politics/the-professors-are-the-enemy-j-d-vance-on-higher-education/
MPR News, Trump to sign order aiming to close the Education Department, https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/03/20/npr-trump-executive-action-education-department
NY Times, Teachers Unions Sue Trump Administration Over Push to Shut Education Dept, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/us/trump-education-department-lawsuit.html
Education Law Center, Coalition Sues Trump Administration For Dismantling Department of Education, Hurting All Students https://edlawcenter.org/coalition-sues-trump-administration-for-dismantling-department-of-education-hurting-all-students
Ed Law Center legal complaint, https://edlawcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NAACP-et-al-v-US-et-al-DOE-Complaint.pdf
Press Release from 21 State Attorney Generals about their lawsuit to prevent mass layoffs at the Dept. of Education, https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-continues-fight-stop-trump-shutting-down-department
Their initial complaint https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/court-filings/state-of-new-york-et-al-v-linda-mcmahon-united-states-department-of-education-complaint-2025.pdf
Their Memo of Law, asking for a Preliminary Injunction after the Executive Order was filed
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/court-filings/state-of-new-york-et-al-v-linda-mcmahon-et-al-motion-for-preliminary-injunction-2025.pdf
Democracy Forward lawsuit filed on behalf of AFT, University Professors and MA school districts https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/EDComplaint.pdf](https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/EDComplaint.pdf
Ed Week, States Get Antsy as Education Department Layoffs Delay Millions for Schools, https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/states-get-antsy-as-education-department-layoffs-delay-millions-for-schools/2025/03
NY State Education Department affidavit about US Dept of Ed failure to send remaining pandemic school aid https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.281941/gov.uscourts.mad.281941.71.31\_1.pdf
Inside Higher Ed, Education Department Reeling After Layoffs , https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/politics-elections/2025/03/25/education-department-staff-struggle-after-mass
Public Funds Public Schools, Bill Tracker for proposed legislation on private school voucher programs https://pfps.org/billtracker/
Inside Higher Ed, Trump’s Plan to Move Student Loans to SBA Raises Concerns, https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/03/21/small-business-administration-take-over-student-loans
Inside Higher Ed, Poll Finds Abolishing the Education Department ‘Wildly Unpopular’, https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/02/06/poll-abolishing-department-education-unpopular
Student Borrower Protection Center, New Poll Confirms: Trump’s Plan to Abolish Department of Education is Extremely Unpopular Among , Voters https://protectborrowers.org/new-poll-confirms-trumps-plan-to-abolish-department-of-education-is-extremely-unpopular-among-voters
Leonie interviews Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers, on the upcoming Mayoral and UFT elections, his record as President and goals if re-elected for a sixth term, as well as the hot button issues of Medicare Advantage, class size, curriculum, and the Trump administration’s assault on our public schools.
A Better Contract. - http://abettercontract.org
Amy Arundell for UFT President: A New Era for the UFT, Its Members, and the People They Serve
Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, Feb. 12, 2025, A Message for Families Regarding Non-Local Law Enforcement, https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/messages-for-families
AP, Feb. 11, 2025, DOGE cuts $900 million from agency that tracks American students’ academic progress
https://apnews.com/article/ies-musk-doge-education-cuts-4461d7bdbe9d55c5a411d8465999b011
Stars and Stripes, Feb. 7, 2025, DODEA adds lessons to ‘do not use’ list sent to schools worldwide
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2025-02-07/dodea-removes-book-pending-review-16753412.html
Scripps News, Feb. 14, 2025, Public schools face deadline to remove DEI policies or lose federal funding
https://www.scrippsnews.com/us-news/education/public-schools-face-deadline-to-remove-dei-policies-or-lose-federal-funding
WaPost, Feb. 14, 2025, Park Service deletes trans references on Stonewall Inn monument pagehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2025/02/13/stonewall-transgender-lgb-national-park-service/
Stonewall National Monument website, https://www.nps.gov/ston/index.htm
Wash Post, Feb. 4, 2025 Here are the words putting science in the crosshairs of Trump’s ordershttps://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025/02/04/national-science-foundation-trump-executive-orders-words/
On the Media, Feb.17, 2025. Donald Trump is Rewriting the Past.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/articles/donald-trump-is-rewriting-the-past-plus-the-christian-groups-vying-for-political-power
MSNBC, Feb. 14,, 2025 At confirmation hearing, Linda McMahon refuses to say Black history courses will be allowed
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/linda-mcmahon-black-history-dei-trump-rcna192301
The 74, Feb. 13 Stunned Education Researchers Say Cuts Go Beyond DEI, Hitting Math, Literacyhttps://www.the74million.org/article/stunned-education-researchers-say-cuts-go-beyond-dei-hitting-math-literacy/
Audrey Watters blog https://audreywatters.com/blog/ and https://2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.com/
Audrey Watters on AI Foreclosure https://2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.com/ai-foreclosure/
CNN, Oct. 13, 2024 With AI warning, Nobel winner joins ranks of laureates who’ve cautioned about the risks of their own work
https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/13/health/nobel-laureate-warnings-ai/
Statement on AI Risk, https://www.safe.ai/work/statement-on-ai-risk
Michael Gerlach, AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/1/6
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Chalkbeat, Some crowded NYC schools want enrollment caps to cut class sizes. Will the city pay for it? https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/01/22/overcrowded-schools-seek-enrollment-caps-cut-class-sizes/
Gothamist, Gov. Hochul's NY school cellphone ban gets a warm reception in Albany, https://gothamist.com/news/gov-hochuls-ny-school-cell-phone-ban-gets-a-warm-reception-in-albany
Chalkbeat, ‘Everyone is scared’: Deportation fears keep immigrant students home from NYC schoolshttps://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/01/24/trump-immigration-policy-and-deportation-fears-affect-attendance-for-immigrant-families/
Daily News, New York education officials concerned about cellphone ban amid Trump’s deportations plans, https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/01/23/new-york-education-officials-concerned-about-cellphone-ban-amid-trumps-deportations-plans/
Chalkbeat, NYC school board to vote on resolution affirming support for undocumented students, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/01/08/school-board-preps-resolution-on-undocumented-students-before-trump-term/
PEP Resolution in many languages here: https://t.co/efWDQI8sbh
Daniel interviews veteran educator, unionist and former political director of the United Federation of Teachers, Paul Egan. We discuss his nearly ten year tenure as the United Federation of Teachers' political director -- from the Bloomberg and Cuomo years to the De Blasio years. Egan dispels the tabloid controversies.
Class Size Matters and Education Law Center, Letter to the Commissioner Rosa about DOE's failure to comply with the class size law. https://classsizematters.org/class-size-matters-education-law-center-letter-to-commissioner-asking-that-she-require-nyc-to-abide-by-class-size-law/
Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, Teenspace sharing sensitive personal data with ad trackers and social media companies. https://studentprivacymatters.org/hearings-and-testimony-on-student-mental-health/
NYC Parent Blog, on the SHSAT and Chancellors regulations on privacy; https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2024/12/comments-on-shsat-and-chancellors.html
Class Size Matters, Presentation to CPAC: Problems with the DOE's failure to implement class size reduction https://classsizematters.org/problems-with-does-implementation-of-class-size-reduction/
Class Size Matters, Video of CPAC presentation, ten minutes in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmQinnJyThk
Jon Valant bio https://www.brookings.edu/people/jon-valant/
Brookings Institution, Project 2025 and education: A lot of bad ideas, some more actionable than others, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/project-2025-and-education-a-lot-of-bad-ideas-some-more-actionable-than-others/
Brookings Institution, Be wary of what you read in the school voucher debatehttps://www.brookings.edu/articles/be-wary-of-what-you-read-in-the-school-voucher-debate/
AP, A push for school choice fell short in Trump’s first term. He may now have a more willing Congress https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-school-choice-congress-019f50fb5ad7994434573c2244fd1b62
Ed Week, What a National School Choice Program Under President Trump Might Look Like https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/what-a-national-school-choice-program-under-president-trump-might-look-like/2024/11
Reuters, Trump eyes 'school choice' tax break, a longstanding conservative goal https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-likely-expand-school-choice-longstanding-conservative-goal-2024-11-21/
AP, Trump wants to end ‘wokeness’ in education. He has vowed to use federal money as leverage, https://apnews.com/article/trump-woke-education-24f864d83e2f5745d12a79ebac0d7cc4
NEA, Protections Against Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, and Pregnancy and Related Conditions Under the New Title IX Final Rule , https://www.nea.org/resource-library/title-IX-final-rule-protections-against-discrimination
Ed Week, How Trump Could Roll Back Access to Free School Lunches, https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/how-trump-could-roll-back-access-to-free-school-lunches/2024/11
CNN, Linda McMahon, Trump’s Education pick, was sued for allegedly enabling sexual abuse of children https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/21/business/linda-mcmahon-abuse-wwe-trump-education/index.html
Advocates for Children, Student Homelessness in New York City, 2023–24. https://advocatesforchildren.org/policy-resource/student-homelessness-data-2024/
Daily News, Push to digitize NYC entrance exam for specialized high schools reignites equity debate, https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/11/23/push-to-digitize-nyc-entrance-exam-for-specialized-high-schools-reignites-equity-debate/?share=tcoohytentooicndwciu
DOE's proposed contract with Pearson for the SHSAT, https://www.schools.nyc.gov/docs/default-source/data/contracts-agendac5e42b19-b471-4be6-aac5-6985c414342d.pdf?sfvrsn=2cdf075e_1
Akil Bello, SHSAT testimony for NYC Council https://akilbello.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/city-council-written-testimony-shsat-.pdf
Emily Carrazana, Testimony on high stakes testing https://classsizematters.org/class-size-matters-testimony-on-high-stakes-testing-before-the-nyc-council-education-committee/
National Academy of Science, High Stakes Testing for Tracking, Promotion, and Graduation, https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/6336/high-stakes-testing-for-tracking-promotion-and-graduation
Fairtest, NACAC Panels Emphasize the Benefits of Test Optional/Free Policies, https://fairtest.org/a-review-of-panels-at-the-nacac-conference-which-discussed-test-optional-policies/
Chalkbeat, NYC specialized high school offers to Black and Latino students inch up but remain stubbornly low, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/06/18/specialized-high-school-offers-to-black-and-latino-students-increase-but-remain-low/
Hechinger Report, The problem with high-stakes testing and women in STEM, https://hechingerreport.org/the-problem-with-high-stakes-testing-and-women-in-stem/
Jonathan Taylor, Fairness To Gifted Girls: Admissions To New York City’s Elite Public High Schools, Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 25(1): 75–91 (2019).
https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/00551c876cc2f027,294b56436594090b,2e036b8a364ae7df.html
CNN, State plan calls for dropping Regents requirement by 2028, https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/education/2024/11/04/state-plan-calls-for-dropping-regents-requirement-by-2028
FairTest, Massachusetts & New York Reject Graduation Exam Requirements; Only Six States Maintain Mandatory Exit Tests For Diploma, https://fairtest.org/massachusetts-only-six-states-maintain-mandatory-exit-tests-for-diploma-voters-and-policy-makers-see-education-and-equity-benefits-from-multiple-measur/
WBUR, Question 2 wins: Mass. voters end MCAS high school graduation requirement, https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/11/06/massachusetts-ballot-question-2-approved-mcas-test-measure-result
WBUR, Billionaire Mike Bloomberg funnels $2.5M toward opposing MCAS ballot measure, https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/10/28/bloomberg-massachusetts-election-mcas
EdReform Now, Tracking the Impact of the SFFA Decision on College Admissions, https://edreformnow.org/2024/09/09/tracking-the-impact-of-the-sffa-decision-on-college-admissions/
Yale Daily News, Applicants, admissions officers navigate first test-flexible application process, https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2024/11/18/applicants-admissions-officers-navigate-first-test-flexible-application-process/
Akil Bello, The NY Times Doesn’t Cover College, https://akilbello.com/2024/05/06/the-ny-times-doesnt-cover-college/
Akil Bello, The Misguided War on Test Optional, https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2024/02/05/misguided-war-test-optional-opinion
NY Times, He Worked for Years to Overturn Affirmative Action and Finally Won. He’s Not Done. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/us/edward-blum-affirmative-action-race.html
Washington Post, Fearless Fund settles with DEI foes, ends grant program for Black women, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/09/11/fearless-fund-edward-blum-settlement/
Trans formative Schools Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/trans.formative.schools/
Trans formative schools website https://www.transformativeschools.org/](https://www.transformativeschools.org/)
Simón(e) Sun, PhD website https://simonesun.com/](https://simonesun.com/
Peña, R., Florence, J. & Daniels, A. A., (2023) “Trans formative Schools: Transing Education”, VUE (Voices in Urban Education)_ 51(2), 16–20. doi: https://doi.org/10.35240/vue.32
NYSED, Creating a Safe, Supportive, and Affirming School Environment for Transgender and Gender Expansive Students: 2023 Legal Update and Best Practices Frequently Asked Questions
https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/student-support-services/creating-a-safe-supportive-and-affirming-school-environment-for-transgender-and-gender-expansive-students-faq-2023.pdf
Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, Letter opposing the proposed revisions to Chancellors regulation A-820; https://classsizematters.org/serious-concerns-with-does-proposed-weakening-of-their-student-privacy-regulations-how-you-can-help/ on student privacy
Briefing on failures of NYC to protect student privacy including potential revisions to Chancellors regulation A-820 co-sponsored by AQE and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy https://studentprivacymatters.org/safeguarding-your-childs-personal-data-threat-to-student-privacy-from-does-use-of-digital-learning-teenspace-college-board-ai-more/
Talk out of School show on threats to student privacy from Teenspace and AI, Sept. 23, 2024https://talk-out-of-school.simplecast.com/episodes/student-privacy-concerns-with-teenspace-and-ai
DOE's proposal for 3rd year SY2025-2026 of mandated class size reduction video: Joint Class Size Training Webinar (Open external link); Class Size FAQ
Chalkbeat, As Kamala Harris ascends to Democratic presidential frontrunner, get to know her education record
https://www.chalkbeat.org/2024/07/22/democratic-presidential-candidate-kamala-harris-on-education-and-schools/
Hechinger Report, How could Project 2025 change education?
https://hechingerreport.org/how-could-project-2025-change-education/
Center for American Progress, Project 2025’s Elimination of Title I Funding Would Hurt Students and Decimate Teaching Positions in Local Schools https://www.americanprogress.org/article/project-2025s-elimination-of-title-i-funding-would-hurt-students-and-decimate-teaching-positions-in-local-schools/
Remarks by Vice President Harris at the American Federation of Teachers’ 88th National Convention https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/07/25/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-at-the-american-federation-of-teachers-88th-national/
The 74, In Private Texts, NY Ed Council Reps, Congressional Candidate Demean LGBTQ Kids, https://www.the74million.org/article/in-private-texts-ny-ed-council-reps-congressional-candidate-demean-lgbtq-kids/
Hedgeclippers, Billionaire-Backed Bigots in the Big Apple http://hedgeclippers.org/billionaire-backed-bigots-in-the-big-apple/
Upper East Side. Extremist Group ‘Moms For Liberty’ Plans UES Event, Drawing Condemnation, https://www.uppereastsite.com/moms-for-liberty-upper-east-side-town-hall/
Patch, Outrage Builds Over UES 'Moms For Liberty' Event https://patch.com/new-york/upper-east-side-nyc/outrage-builds-over-ues-moms-liberty-event
Institute for Free Speech, Federal Judge Rules for Parents; Reinstates Maud Maron to Education Council in Pivotal Free Speech Case https://www.ifs.org/news/federal-judge-rules-for-parents-reinstates-maud-maron-to-education-council-in-pivotal-free-speech-case/
Jonathan Halabi - UFT Welfare Fund nest egg – bigger than most nests
Ronnie Almonte - The UFT Welfare Fund Widens Gap Between Investments and Benefits Paid—Again
Ronnie Almonte - The UFT Welfare Fund is Prioritizing Investments over Dental Benefits
The Wire - UFT Mulgrew’s Unity Caucus vows to protect our Welfare Fund from themselves?
The Wire - Mulgrew and UFT Unity, Not MLC, Initiated Health Cuts
NYTimes, David Banks, N.Y.C. Schools Chancellor, Moves Up His Departure, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/02/nyregion/david-banks-schools-chancellor-resign.html
Chalkbeat NY, Departing NYC chancellor David Banks’ next act? Writing a book, https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/10/10/departing-schools-chancellor-david-banks-promises-to-write-book/
NY Daily News, Former top NYC Mayor Adams aide Sheena Wright makes cryptic post about ‘stories to tell’ after resignation https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/10/09/former-top-nyc-mayor-adams-aide-sheena-wright-makes-cryptic-post-about-stories-to-tell-after-resignation/
NY TImes, Investigators Search N.Y.P.D. School Safety Offices in Bribery Inquiry, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/10/nyregion/eric-adams-bribery-inquiry-school-safety.html
Education Week,A Fading School Reform? Mayoral Control Is Ending in Another City https://www.edweek.org/leadership/a-fading-school-reform-mayoral-control-is-ending-in-another-city/2023/06
WBEZ, What to know about the CPS School Board resignations and the fallout, https://www.wbez.org/education/2024/10/10/what-to-know-about-the-cps-school-board-resignations-and-the-fallout What to know about the CPS School Board resignations and the fallout
www.cpe1.nyc/fifty - Central Park East I Website
https://vimeo.com/13993087 - Why We are Here, short documentary
https://highqualityearlylearning.org/pre-k-videos/ - Walking Alongside the Learner, short documentary
https://deborahmeier.com/writings/books/ - Deborah Meier's books
https://deborahmeier.com/about/ - Biography of Deborah Meier
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/05/nyregion/anthony-j-alvarado-dead.html - Anthony Alvarado, former superintendent D4 East Harlem NYC Department of Education
https://www.nydailynews.com/2017/06/01/replacement-named-for-east-harlem-principal-who-was-forced-out-by-parent-protests/ - Gabriel Feldberg named Principal of Central Park East One Elementary school
https://www.district4nyc.org/ - NYCDOE District 4 Webpage listing progressive schools in the district
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_Heart - Music of the Heart, 1999 film starring Merryl Streep, based on a violin program that was started by Roberta Guaspari at Central Park East in 1981, expanded and then was nearly eliminated by DOE officials ten years later when they tried to cut its budget.
Mayor Eric Adams Indicted by Federal Grand Jury - The City
Mayor Eric Adams faces federal indictment hours after naming new schools chancellor - Chalkbeat NY
NYC schools Chancellor David Banks announces he’s retiring amid federal investigations - Chalkbeat NY
Melissa Aviles-Ramos, NYC’s next schools chancellor, says she’ll have Mayor Adams’ back - Chalkbeat NY
amNYC, Education advocates blast DOE for having ‘no plan’ for smaller class sizes; https://www.amny.com/news/nyc-education-advoactes-doe-plan-class-sizes/
NYC Public School Parents, More evidence in the just-released Mayor's Management Report that DOE has no real class size plan https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2024/09/more-evidence-in-just-released-mayors.html
ChalkbeatNY, AI’s new role in NYC schools? Chancellor Banks teases personalized learning and college counseling; https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/09/17/david-banks-ai-state-of-our-schools-2024
Chancellor David C. Banks 2024 - State of our Schools Remarks; https://www.is281.com/apps/news/article/1967361
New Republic, David Banks’s Dystopian Vision for NY Public Schools; https://newrepublic.com/article/185958/ai-classroom-new-york-david-banks
Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, Privacy concerns with NYC student use of Teenspace online counseling service; https://studentprivacymatters.org/privacy-concerns-about-nycs-promotion-of-the-teenspace-online-counseling-service/
Daily News, Advocates raise alarm about privacy with NYC’s teen mental telehealth service https://studentprivacymatters.org/privacy-concerns-about-nycs-promotion-of-the-teenspace-online-counseling-service/
Chalkbeat, Data privacy advocates raise alarm over NYC’s free teen teletherapy program; https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/09/10/privacy-advocates-raise-concerns-free-teletherapy-teens-data/
State Scoop, Privacy advocates are concerned by NYC’s online teen counseling service; https://statescoop.com/privacy-advocates-nyc-teen-counseling-talkspace/
K12 Dive, $26M Talkspace contract with NYC stirs student data privacy concerns; https://www.k12dive.com/news/talkspace-nyc-data-privacy-teenspace/727070/
Links to websites AI for Families, NYCLU
AI for Families Substack; https://www.aiforfamilies.com/
New York Civil Liberties Union on privacy; https://www.nyclu.org/issues/protecting-privacy-autonomy/privacy
The City, Adams Family Values: A Guide to the Kin and Friends New York City’s Mayor Relies On;
https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/09/12/eric-adams-family-nypd-connections-fbi-investigation-banks-caban/
AP, A tech company hired a top NYC official’s brother. A private meeting and $1.4M in contracts followed
https://apnews.com/article/new-york-mayor-federal-investigation-banks-b2369819ff7ccd4e630899eb08538bae?ref=biztoc.com\
Daily News, Firm doing business with NYC met with Schools Chancellor David Banks after hiring brother Terence
https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/09/13/firm-doing-business-with-nyc-met-with-schools-chancellor-david-banks-after-hiring-brother-terence-banks-fbi-probe/
The City, A Tech Firm Ditched a Power Lobbyist — and Called on the Schools Chancellor’s Brother
https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/09/09/terence-banks-saferwatch-corey-johnson-david-phil/
NY Post, NYC school chancellor’s brother bragged about political connections — but scrubbed his website after FBI raid of Adams’ aides
https://nypost.com/2024/09/08/us-news/school-chancellors-brother-bragged-about-political-connections-but-scrubbed-his-website-after-federal-raid/
NY Post, NYC Schools Big Gets Off Easy in Chicken Bribe Case
https://nypost.com/2024/09/09/us-news/nyc-schools-big-eric-goldstein-gets-off-easy-in-chicken-bribe-case/
NY Post, NYC Educrats Took Own Kids to Magic Kingdom on Trips Meant for Homeless Students
https://nypost.com/2024/09/15/us-news/what-happens-in-disney-stays-in-disney-nyc-educrats-took-own-kids-to-magic-kingdom-on-trips-meant-for-homeless-students/
Special Commissioner of Investigation for the NYC School District, DOE Students in Temporary Housing (“STH”) Regional Manager and Others Brought Family Members on DOE-funded Out-of-Town Trips Meant for Homeless Students.
https://nycsci.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20191844_Redacted.pdf
Chalkbeat, NYC new education board chair pick is same as old chair, despite effort to distance role from mayor
https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/09/14/mayor-eric-adams-picks-gregory-faulkner-for-panel-for-educational-policy-chair/
NY Post, Eric Adams fails to name third trustee to oversee billions of dollars in NYC school construction
https://nypost.com/2024/08/31/us-news/eric-adams-fails-to-name-nyc-trustee-to-oversee-billions-of-dollars-in-school-construction/
NY Post, Almost 50% of NYC teachers don’t trust embattled DOE Chancellor David Banks: survey
https://nypost.com/2024/09/14/us-news/almost-50-of-nyc-school-teachers-dont-trust-embattled-doe-chancellor-david-banks-report/
Letter to Mayor, Chancellor & NYC Health Commissioner regarding privacy concerns with Teenspace mental health services https://studentprivacymatters.org/privacy-concerns-about-nycs-promotion-of-the-teenspace-online-counseling-service/
State Scoop, Privacy advocates are concerned by NYC’s online teen counseling service
https://statescoop.com/privacy-advocates-nyc-teen-counseling-talkspace/
Chalkbeat, Data privacy advocates raise alarm over NYC’s free teen teletherapy program
https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/09/10/privacy-advocates-raise-concerns-free-teletherapy-teens-data/
Daily News, Advocates raise alarm about privacy with NYC’s teen mental telehealth service
https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/09/10/advocates-raise-alarm-about-privacy-with-nycs-teen-mental-telehealth-service/
Talkspace Lawsuit Claims Therapy Website Secretly Shares User Data with TikTok
https://www.classaction.org/news/talkspace-lawsuit-claims-therapy-website-secretly-shares-user-data-with-tiktok
NY Post, Parents, educators beg NYC to allow shorter days for tots starting 3-K, pre-K: ‘Cruel and abusive’ https://nypost.com/2024/08/24/us-news/parents-educators-beg-nyc-to-allow-shorter-days-for-tots-starting-3-k-pre-k-cruel-and-abusive/
Daily News, Mayor Adams backs off proposed NYC school cellphone ban for now www.nydailynews.com/2024/08/27/mayor-adams-backs-off-proposed-nyc-school-cellphone-ban-for-now/
NY Post , Adams fails to name trustee to oversee billions in school construction https://nypost.com/2024/08/31/us-news/eric-adams-fails-to-name-nyc-trustee-to-oversee-billions-of-dollars-in-school-construction
Atlantic, Urban Family Exodus a warning for progressives, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/08/the-urban-family-exodus-is-a-warning-for-progressives/679350/
Mayor Adams, City Council Announce Historic 10-Point Plan to Make High-Quality Child Care More Affordable, Accessible for all New Yorkers https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/668-24/mayor-adams-city-council-historic-10-point-plan-make-high-quality-child-care-more
amNew York_Mayor, Council hit reset on NYC’s free pre-K and preschool programs, advocates say plan lacks details https://www.amny.com/news/mayor-council-pre-k-programs-reset-preschool/
PreK/3K Creative Curriculum school day schedule https://teachingstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Article_Planning-How-You-Spend-Your-Time_English.pdf
Extended day schedule https://www.nj.gov/education/earlychildhood/preschool/docs/CCSchedule.pdf
Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse, The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool, Fourth Edition, was found to have no discernible effects on oral language, print knowledge, phonological processing, or math for preschool children. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/InterventionReport/512
| Class Size Matters, Letter to NY State Education Commissioner about lack of detail and lax timetable in NYC School Capital Plan https://classsizematters.org/nycs-updated-school-capital-plan-lax-timetable-no-specifics-for-how-they-will-meet-the-mandate-for-class-size-reduction/Washington Post, Governor Tim Walz record on Education https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/08/harris-vp-walz-education-agriculture/Minnesota Star Tribune, Minnesota Legislature passes higher ed bill that includes free college tuition program https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-legislature-passes-higher-ed-bill-that-includes-free-college-tuition-program/600273891 Education Minnesota, Walz signs historic labor and education bills into lawhttps://educationminnesota.org/news/press-release/walz-signs-historic-labor-and-education-bills-into-law/NY Times, High School Project on Genocide Was a Portent of Real-Life Events https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/education/23education.html?unlocked_article_code=1.BE4.m-QW.3MZBf7vaH9bn∣=em-shareAdvocates for Children, Education programs restored, July 2024 https://3zn338.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Education-cuts-restored-from-AFC-7.24.pdf?time=1723490981 NY Daily News, NYC starts applying for more preschool special ed classes after delay sparks alarm https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/08/08/nyc-starts-applying-for-more-preschool-special-ed-classes-after-delay-sparks-alarm/?share=myttrwecesaslykyrywa |
Daily News, Travel restrictions on NYC students to ease as MTA replaces student MetroCards with OMNY, https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/07/25/nyc-to-replace-student-metrocards-with-omny-expand-time-and-free-trips/?share=rrccxrhn2mecnhstpiwe
NY Times, New York Bans Realistic Active Shooter Drills in Schools, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/24/nyregion/school-lockdown-drills.html?unlocked_article_code=1.900.2RUw.gLW2OkUE-W0T∣=url-share
Class Size Matters letter urging NYSED Commissioner Rosa to require that DOE produce a real class size plan
https://classsizematters.org/letter-to-commissioner-rosa-please-require-doe-to-produce-implement-a-real-class-size-plan-now/
Press release: https://classsizematters.org/class-size-matters-urges-commissioner-rosa-to-require-nyc-doe-to-revise-and-fundamentally-improve-their-class-size-plan/
Politico, Advocates for lower class sizes demanding new plan from City Hall https://3zn338.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Politico-article-7.22.24.pdf
Daily News, Advocates ask state education commissioner to intervene in NYC’s class size plan
https://3zn338.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ELC-letter-to-Commissioner-Rosa-re-NYC-class-size-plan-7.22.24.pdf
deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider's Blog, Project 2025: Politicking for Jesus
https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2024/07/17/project-2025-politicking-for-jesus/
Chalkbeat, As Kamala Harris ascends to Democratic presidential frontrunner, get to know her education record
https://www.chalkbeat.org/2024/07/22/democratic-presidential-candidate-kamala-harris-on-education-and-schools/
Hechinger Report, How could Project 2025 change education?
https://hechingerreport.org/how-could-project-2025-change-education/
Center for American Progress, Project 2025’s Elimination of Title I Funding Would Hurt Students and Decimate Teaching Positions in Local Schools
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/project-2025s-elimination-of-title-i-funding-would-hurt-students-and-decimate-teaching-positions-in-local-schools/
Remarks by Vice President Harris at the American Federation of Teachers’ 88th National Convention
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/07/25/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-at-the-american-federation-of-teachers-88th-national/
The New Republic, The One Vice Presidential Pick Who Could Ruin Democratic Unity
https://newrepublic.com/article/184151/one-vice-president-ruin-democratic-unity-josh-shapiro
In a letter, grassroots education groups urge VP Harris not to pick Gov. Shapiro as running mate
https://www.witf.org/2024/07/26/in-a-letter-grassroots-education-groups-urge-vp-harris-not-to-pick-gov-shapiro-as-running-mate/
Letter here: https://sosarizona.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Education-Coalition-Letter-Opposing-Shapiro-as-VP.pdf
NPE Project 2025 explainer https://vimeo.com/985171622
School Cellphone Ban Is Critical for ‘Addicted’ Students, NYC Chancellor Says
https://www.edweek.org/technology/school-cellphone-ban-is-critical-for-addicted-students-nyc-chancellor-says/2024/06
NY Students Banned From Using Phones First Hated, Then Loved It
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-17/new-york-schools-that-banned-mobile-phones-see-student-grades-rise
NYC planning a school cellphone ban for February, principals say
https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/07/17/nyc-school-cellphone-ban-could-take-effect-february-2025/
AQE: School funding and Foundation Aid
https://www.aqeny.org/our-campaigns/school-funding-foundation-aid
NYS eyes changes to Foundation Aid Formula
https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/07/16/new-york-state-eyes-changes-to-25-billion-school-aid-formula/
Advocates for Children testimony
https://advocatesforchildren.org/policy-resource/afc-testifies-on-foundation-aid-formula/
Top official overseeing early childhood to exit
https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2024/07/top-official-overseeing-early-childhood-education-to-exit-00167040
NYC paid consultants $350,000 to help right-size preschool programs. The findings remain elusive.
https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/07/19/accenture-report-nyc-education-preschool-seats-eric-adams/
Akeem Marsh, MD, Not Just Bad Kids: The Adversity and Disruptive Behavior Link
https://www.amazon.com/Not-Just-Bad-Kids-Disruptive/dp/0128189541
Chalkbeat New York - Cell phone ban for NYC schools could come ‘within 2 weeks,’ Chancellor David Banks says
Education Week - School Cellphone Ban Is Critical for ‘Addicted’ Students, NYC Chancellor Says
Joelle Renstrom's website
What internet addiction does to the brain:
https://journals.plos.org/mentalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022
UNESCO's report covering 14 countries & recommending a cell phone ban in schools: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000385723
97% of teens use their phones during the school day:
https://www.k12dive.com/news/teen-cell-phone-use-schools/694901/
JAMA Pediatrics study about the harms of screen time exposure on infants:
https://www.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.3869
--------
Joelle Renstrom's essays on phones:
https://aeon.co/essays/can-students-who-are-constantly-on-their-devices-actually-learn (the essay that established relationship with YONDR)
https://aeon.co/ideas/what-happened-when-i-made-my-students-turn-off-their-phones (essay about the YONDR experiment)
http://theconversation.com/is-secondhand-screen-time-the-new-secondhand-smoking-129500 (an opinion piece in which I call "secondhand screen time" the new secondhand smoking).
List of 216 schools whose initial budgets are cut compared to last year’s initial budgets https://onedrive.live.com/edit?id=BE64F542247E68E7!76061&resid=BE64F542247E68E7!76061&ithint=file,xlsx&authkey=!APxYIxA0MIKmTCg&wdo=2&cid=be64f542247e68e7&link_id=1&can_id=e162a5e988b2cf9c89a105c454340eee&
DOE revises online guidance to require parent consent in response to our legal appeal https://classsizematters.org/in-response-to-our-legal-appeal-doe-will-now-require-parent-consent-before-assigning-students-to-online-classes/
Daily News, NYC public schools revise remote learning policy after advocates ask state to intervene https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/07/05/nyc-public-schools-revise-remote-learning-policy-after-advocates-ask-state-to-intervene/?share=thwawgnhevfaoywnencr
Tom Loveless, Why Common Core failed, Brookings Institute, March 18, 2021 https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-common-core-failed/
NYC’s new algebra curriculum mandate divides educators https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2023/11/10/high-school-algebra-curriculum-mandate-divides-teachers/
Chalkbeat, Math instruction overhaul: NYC unveils new curriculum mandate for middle and high schools https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/06/24/nyc-schools-to-mandate-standardized-math-curriculum/
The 74, NYC Bets New, Uniform High School Math Curriculum Will Boost Student Test Scores https://www.the74million.org/article/nyc-bets-new-uniform-high-school-math-curriculum-will-boost-student-test-scores/
Norm Scott's Ed Notes Online
https://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/p/about-education-notes.html
The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman
https://theinconvenienttruthbehindwaitingforsuperman.com/
Norm Scott's Ed Notes Online
https://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/p/about-education-notes.html
The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman
https://theinconvenienttruthbehindwaitingforsuperman.com/
New America, Case Against Exit Exams
https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/policy-papers/the-case-against-exit-exams
Times Union, New York making Regents exams voluntary
https://www.timesunion.com/education/article/new-york-phasing-regents-exams-19503642.php
NY Daily News, New York proposes dropping Regents exam as high school graduation requirement
https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/06/10/new-york-proposes-dropping-regents-exam-as-high-school-graduation-requirement
City and State Eric Adams announces new contract deal with teachers union that allows more remote learning
https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2023/06/eric-adams-announces-new-contract-deal-teachers-union-allows-more-remote-learning/387485
Government Technology, NYC to Offer Virtual Option at All Public High Schools
https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/nyc-to-offer-virtual-option-at-all-public-high-schools
Chalkbeat, To meet class size mandate, NYC officials look to virtual learning
[https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2024/05/09/remote-learning-floated-as-one-solution-to-nyc-class-size-mandate/]
Parents and Class Size Matters file Commissioner’s Appeal vs DOE failure to ensure parent consent before placing their children in online classes
https://classsizematters.org/parents-and-class-size-matters-file-commissioners-appeal-vs-doe-failure-to-ensure-parent-consent-before-placing-their-children-in-online-classes
Daily News, Parents, advocates ask NY State Dept. of Ed to void remote learning policy as city mulls expansion
https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/06/14/parents-advocates-ask-ny-state-dept-of-ed-to-void-remote-learning-policy-as-city-mulls-expansion/?share=nltott2l2yyenpx4rgma
Politico Pro, Advocacy group accuses DOE of failing to ensure parental consent for online classes
https://3zn338.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Politico-Pro-06.14.24-on-online-learning-challenge.pdf
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School Diversity Advisory Group, Making the Grade II: New Programs for Better Schools, August 2019, https://docs.steinhardt.nyu.edu/pdfs/metrocenter/atn293/sdag/Making-the-Grade-II.pdf
Courthouse News, Sweeping Suit Over NYC Schools Bias Calls to Disband ‘Gifted & Talented’ Programs, March 9, 2021,
https://www.courthousenews.com/sweeping-suit-over-nyc-schools-bias-calls-to-disband-gifted-talented-programs/
NY Times, Court Allows Case Challenging Segregation in N.Y.C. Schools to Advance, May 2, 2024 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/02/nyregion/nyc-schools-segregation.html
Public Counsel, Integrate NYC vs. New York; Case Developments https://publiccounsel.org/our-cases/integratenyc-v-new-york/case-developments/
YouTube: Chancellor Banks Holds a Media Availability
Ben Morgenroth candidacy website - Ben4TRS.org
The Wire -Call to Action: Contact DOE Chancellor and his liaison about failures in rolling out TRS trustee election process
Sign up now for our Parent Action Conference on May 11th!
School Yard Rap
Apple Music - School Yard Rap
Chalkbeat New York: Albany extends mayoral control for 2 years, tweaking NYC’s education panel
Leonie Haimson: Post mortem on a disappointing state budget
NYSED Press Release - State Education Department Releases Report on Mayoral Control of New York City Schools
The NYSED Report
| Politico, Prominent New York charter group launches 7-figure ad buy to support pro-Adams policy https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/04/new-york-charter-group-pro-adams-policy-00150512StudentsFirstNY Launches Seven-Figure Campaign to Extend Mayoral Accountability in New York City Schools https://www.studentsfirstny.org/studentsfirstny_launches_seven_figure_campaign_to_extend_mayoral_accountability_in_new_york_city_schoolsNetwork for Public Education “Public School in America: Measuring Each State’s Commitment to Democratically Governed SchoolsVideo: US House Education and the Workforce Committee Hearings on Charter Schools, March 6, 2024 https://www.congress.gov/committees/video/house-education-and-the-workforce/hsed00/DfEct2eEZYUVideo: Julian Vasquez Heilig Testifies on Charter Schools before thee House Committee on Education and the Workforce https://vimeo.com/928027641Julian Vasquez Heilig written testimony before US House on Charter Schools, https://www.congress.gov/118/meeting/house/116906/witnesses/HHRG-118-ED14-Wstate-VasquezHeiligJ-20240306.pdfJulian Vasquez Heilig blog, Cloaking Inequity https://cloakinginequity.com/2024/03/06/reflecting-on-a-momentous-day-testimony-to-congress-on-school-choice/Network for Public Education critique of CREDO 2023report on charter schools https://networkforpubliceducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/In-Fact-or-Fallacy-CREDO-Report-1.pdfIs Choice a Panacea? An Analysis of Black Secondary Student Attrition from KIPP, Other Privately Operated Charters, and Urban Districts https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0vs9d4frLong-Term Impacts of KIPP Middle and High Schools on College Enrollment, Persistence, and Attainment https://www.mathematica.org/publications/long-term-impacts-of-kipp-middle-and-high-schools-on-college-enrollment-persistence-and-attainment |
Hanan Harchol bio
'About A Teacher' film
Hollywood Reporter: Review
CBS News: Manhattan school district votes in favor of measure that could ban transgender athletes from girls sports
Gothamist: Manhattan school committee approves plan to hinder transgender students' access to sports
Chalkbeat, NYC chancellor said he’d resign without mayoral control. His threat could add fuel to critics.
Daily News, Keep Mayor Adams’ control of NYC schools, Chancellor David Banks urges Albany lawmakers
Sign up to testify at Council education budget hearings on March 18, 2024
Info on Panel for Education Policy meeting March 20, 2024
NYU Metro Center, Lessons in (In)Equity: An Evaluation of Cultural Responsiveness in Elementary ELA Curriculum https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/metrocenter/ejroc/lessons-inequity-evaluation-cultural-responsiveness-elementary-ela-curriculum
NYU Metro scorecard
NY State Education Department, Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education
Comments by NYC students on HMH Into Reading
Chalkbeat, See which curriculum is dominating NYC's reading mandate
NY1, Some parents are skeptical of new reading curriculum
Contact info for guests: Alina Lewis at alinajlewis@gmail.com; MORE at MORE@morecaucusnyc.org; Flor Khan at fk725@nyu.edu
Class Size Matters - The rally for smaller classes followed by three misleading claims from the DOE & SCA at the class size hearings
Daily News - NYC Council demands progress report on class size reduction
The City Council hearing - http://tinyurl.com/classsizehearing
The rally before the hearing video
Leonie's written testimony
Educational Council Consortium testimony
Testimony of Michael Sill, Assistant Secretary of the United Federation of Teachers
Retiree Advocate
The New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees
The Wire: UFT RTC election race launches with Retiree Advocate/UFT slate announced at UFT HQ
Work Bites: ‘We Will Be in This Building!’ Medicare Advantage Foes Launch Bid to Win Control of UFT Chapter
The Wire: Mulgrew and UFT Unity, Not MLC, Initiated Health Cuts
Sign up to testify at NYC Council class size hearings on Feb. 29 at 1 PM
News articles on NYS Legislature education budget hearings: NY1 and The City here and here
Class Size Matters budget testimony
Class Size Matters Testimony on Mayoral control and presentation to the NYC Bar Association
Purchase Laura Pappano's book, School Moms: Parent Activism, Partisan Politics, and the Battle for Public Education at Beacon Press or Amazon
USA Today, In school board elections across America, voters offer stunning rebuke of culture war politics
Bucks County Beacon, Pulling Back the Curtain on the Leadership Institute’s Dominion Over Moms for Liberty
Mother Jones, That Time when Moms for Liberty Came to Deep Blue NYC
CNN, Moms for Liberty faces new challenges and growing pushback over its conservative education agenda
NYS - GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES HIGHLIGHTS OF FY 2025 EXECUTIVE BUDGET
Gothamist - Profoundly disappointed': Hundreds of NY schools could get less state money in new budget
NYSUT releases analysis on Governor Hochul’s executive budget: Broken promises and backtracking
Chalkbeat NY - Hochul proposes more than $800 million funding increase for NY schools, 4-year extension of mayoral control
Alliance For Quality Education
Take Action: AQE Petition
Learn more: FundOurFutureNY.org
Leonie Haimson, Testimony on the myth of accountability under Mayoral control
Schedule and videos of Mayoral control hearings
Politico, Lawmakers to consider Adams approach to class size as they weigh mayoral control
Submit written comments on Mayoral control by Jan. 31, 2024 here: https://www.nysed.gov/main/form/submit-written-electronic-testimony-nyc-mayoral-control
Tim Schwab, The Bill Gates Problem: Reckoning with the Myth of the Good Billionaire
Student Privacy Matters, Background of inBloom Controversy
InBloom: The FOILed emails
Bill Gates and Mayoral control
How to shrink class sizes in NYC? A working group shares its recommendations
Recommendations from Class Size Working Group
NYC’s class size working group delivers recommendations — but some members dissent
NYC migrant families fear kids will be sleeping in the streets as shelter deadlines near
Thousands of migrant kids are starting school in NYC. Is the system prepared?
Sources:
Diane Ravitch -Website
Network of Public Education
NAEP scores show record drop in math for New York City’s fourth graders, but not in reading
American Students Outperformed Much of the World During the Pandemic
Federal Judge Orders NYC to Fix Special Education Service and Payment Delays
Mayoral control comes under fire at Bronx public hearing
GOP states are embracing vouchers. Wealthy parents are benefitting.
AB Snyder: Book bans are the new norm in school libraries across the country
Voters drub Moms for Liberty ‘parental rights’ candidates at the ballot
Gaspare Randazzo's site
Gaspare on Instagram
Chalkbeat NY - Mayoral control comes under fire at Bronx public hearing
New York City Mayoral Control Hearings Info
View Bronx hearing video
Mayoral control in the eyes of three NYC parent leaders
Class Size Matters & AQE, Press release and letter to SED, urging that NYC be required to produce a corrective action plan on class size reduction.
Register to Testify at NYC Council Hearing on budget cuts Monday, December 11th, at 10:00am; Progressive caucus rally against budget cuts that morning at 9 AM in City Hall Park.
NYSED Schedule of mayoral control hearings, Dec. 5 thru Jan. 29 in various boroughs
The City: Two Years of Mayoral School Control for Eric Adams — With New Strings Attached
NeQuan McLean and Shino Tanikawa, It’s Time for a Democratic School Governance System to Replace Mayoral Control
2009 Parent Commission Report on School Governance
NYC Comptroller report, 2013: No more Rubber Stamp
Ed Week, Mayoral control: a Fading school reform
To sign up for ECC briefings on Mayoral control, register at tinyurl.com/eccsupporters
Class Size Matters - More than 300,000 NYC Students in High-Need Schools Stuck in Oversized Classes
City and State - Report: More than 300K NYC students are in overcrowded classrooms
UFT: Fight the mayor's budget cuts
Andrea Castellano's remarks at yesterday's class size press conference at the Landmark elementary school in Brooklyn
Class Size Matters press release, Class Sizes increase for second year in a row in most grades
National Education Association, Who were the big winners in the 2023 elections h
American Prospect, Right Wing groups post big losses at the ballot box
Chicago Sun Times, With one year until Chicagoans elect the school board for the first time, here’s what’s still being worked out
Diane Ravitch blog, What You Need to Know about the Illinois Voucher Program that Was Cancelled by the Legislature
NY State Education Dept., Dates and Locations Set for Public Hearings on Mayoral Control of New York City Schools
Ed Week, A Fading School Reform? Mayoral Control Is Ending in Another City
Community Voices for Public Schools and their petition
Houston Public Radio, 29 Houston schools will look different next school year — cameras in classrooms, no librarians, higher pay for teachers
Texas Observer, Teachers Strong-Armed to Get on Board with Houston Schools Takeover
NY Times, Texas Revamps Houston Schools, Closing Libraries and Angering Parents
Washington Post, State takeovers of ‘failing’ schools are increasing. Do they help students?
Washington Post, The Real story behind the state takeover
In These Times, Why is the state taking over HISD?
NYC schools with enrollment shortfalls face cuts; more budget losses loom
Mayor Adams Announces Tentative Contract Agreement With Council of School Supervisors and Administrators
Families of students with disabilities file federal complaint over busing discrimination
Sean Enfield's website
Pre-order his new book: Holy American Burnout!
NEA: Getting Serious About Teacher Burnout
National Help Line
Articles on confusions and miscommunication during the October 19 rainstorm and flooding of NYC schools: Chalkbeat, Gothamist, NY Post
UNESCO report by Mark West, Ed tech tragedy? Educational Technologies and School Closures in the time of COVID-19
NY Times article on the report
Dr. Michael Oppenheimer bio
Gothamist - NYC schools open amid flooding as parents wonder how students will get home
Chalkbeat New York - Torrential downpour floods 150 NYC schools, throws commutes into disarray
NYC DOE Emergency Readiness
NYC Green Schools Guide
City green plan for schools
Federal bill for green new deal for schools just introduced by Bowman and Markey
Chalkbeat, COVID guidance for NYC schools https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2023/9/12/23870420/nyc-schools-covid-guidance-2023-2024-testing-vaccines
UNESCO report, An Ed Tech Tragedy? https://www.unesco.org/en/digital-education/ed-tech-tragedy
NY Times article about the UNESCO report https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/06/technology/unesco-report-remote-learning-inequity.html
Class Size Matters presentation on the ways DOE is putting student privacy at risk https://classsizematters.org/the-many-ways-in-which-doe-is-putting-student-privacy-at-risk
Class Size Matters testimony on dangers of DOE plans to expand online learning and ed techhttps://classsizematters.org/testimony-on-the-dangers-of-doe-plans-to-expand-online-learning-and-ed-tech
FAQ on the new state class size law https://classsizematters.org/faq-on-the-states-new-class-size-law
Class Size Working Group (CSWG) public engagement sessions to present their proposals for feedback:
Tuesday, September 26th – 5- 7:30pm online (Manhattan/Brooklyn);
Wednesday, September 27th – 5- 7:30pm online (Queens/Bronx/Staten Island)
Monday, October 2nd – 5- 7:30pm in person at MLK Campus Auditorium, 122 Amsterdam Ave, Manhattan (Citywide) .
Register for these sessions here: https://learndoe.org/class_size/
More information on the CSWG and their proposals here: https://infohub.nyced.org/reports/financial/contracts-for-excellence
Professor Noliwe Rooks bio
Broken air conditioners mean some NYC students return to hot classrooms
NYC students and school staff swelter in class with nearly 500 AC repairs needed
Back to School Heat Wave: How Should the UFT Respond?
Call to Action: Does your Classroom/School have functioning AC?
Complete this survey to help in this campaign: http://tinyurl.com/nycdoeacsurvey
DOE info and updates on school bus strike: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/transportation/transportation-overview
Class Size Matters: Comments on the DOE's inadequate class size plan, signed onto by more than 230 advocates, parents, and educators https://classsizematters.org/comments-on-the-does-class-size-reduction-plan/
NY Daily News: Some NYC class sizes could grow this year under revised draft plan: advocates https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-nyc-class-sizes-could-grow-revised-draft-plan-20230827-bk7aqeplhfe47kiyskhbg4mv5q-story.html
Mike Bloomberg 2001 campaign flyer promising to lower class size, https://classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/bloomberg-campaign-flyer-2001.pdf
Chalkbeat: As asylum seekers continue arriving in NYC, some face school enrollment delays https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2023/8/29/23851045/school-enrollment-delays-asylum-seekers-nyc-migrants
NY Daily News: NYC public schools bracing for record influx of new migrant students: city officials, https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-hundreds-new-migrant-students-enrolled-in-local-public-schools-during-summer-20230830-mwfrboztzrg6nlsrd2zadaluqa-story.html
Assembly Bill A06665 to amend the current state law on school lockdown drills
Chalkbeat: NYC teachers get little to no training on lockdown drills, https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2022/7/13/23207447/nyc-teachers-get-little-to-no-training-on-lockdown-drills
Nature, Impacts of school shooter drills on the psychological well-being of American K-12 school communities: a social media study https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-021-00993-6
The Trace: New York Bill Seeks to Make Lockdown Drills Less Traumatic for Students.
Chalkbeat: New bill would allow NY students to opt out of lockdown drills
ABC7 NY: Lawmakers propose bill to reduce number of active shooter drills in New York schools
Spectrum: 'We're learning': Bill would set standards for required active shooter drills
CBS6 Albany: State lawmakers propose to end school lockdown drill requirements
The Hill: Active shooter drills may be traumatizing millions of students
MSNBC: Making students believe they’re about to die is not a lockdown drill. It’s abuse.
NY Daily News: NYC officials outline school safety strategies ahead of back to school https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-nyc-officials-outline-school-safety-strategies-ahead-of-back-to-school-20230901-uu6nx4yp2zdyzkp2nku7zrkxq4-story.html
ABC7NY: NYC schools to feature new front door locks and safety agents this year https://abc7ny.com/amp/back-to-school-back-to-school-nyc-public-schools/13725589
Contact info for AM Jo Anne Simon: https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Jo-Anne-Simon
Dr. Bettina Love's website
Order her new book: Punished For Dreaming
Education Week article: Stop Talking About ‘Gaps’ in Education—Talk About Harm: Call it what it is
PISTNYC website
Sign the Petition: Demand the Mayor and Department of Education Meet Their Responsibilityto Transport our NYC Students to School
ABC News: Possible school bus driver strike could leave New York City families in limbo
NYC 311 advisory: Potential Yellow School Bus Strike
Hearings today on charter co-locations and the eviction of West Side HS focused on class size
Lawsuit filed against NYC Education Department to block relocation of West Side High School
Public school occupational and physical therapists reject the new UFT contract, demand higher pay
2018 UFT Resolution to stand in solidarity with occupational and physical therapists throughout the renegotiation of a contract with the city of New York
Op-Ed: Occupation and Physical Therapists Continue to Fight for a Fair UFT Contract
NY Daily News, NYC school officials were warned of cybersecurity flaws weeks before attack on student data, July 9, 2023; https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-state-comptroller-warned-schools-of-cybersecurity-issues-before-nyc-breach-20230709-5nxdgo724rg3fi5mvpbt7lrzy4-story.html •
Audit from the Office of the State Comptroller, Privacy and Security of Student Data, May 2023; https://www.osc.state.ny.us/files/state-agencies/audits/pdf/sga-2023-21s29.pdf
To contact the State Comptroller's State Government Accountability office with concerns about NYSED and/or NYC lack of compliance with the state student privacy law; contact Audit Director: Nadine Morrell; Phone: (518) 474-3271 Email: StateGovernmentAccountability@osc.ny.gov
The Journal, K–12 Ransomware Attacks Rose 43% in 2022, Encryption Used More Often, Survey Shows, June 8. 2023; https://thejournal.com/articles/2023/06/08/k12-ransomware-attacks-rose-43-percent-in-2022-encryption-used-more-often.aspx
Sophos, The State of Ransomware 2023; https://assets.sophos.com/X24WTUEQ/at/c949g7693gsnjh9rb9gr8/sophos-state-of-ransomware-2023-wp.pdf
EdSurge, Student Privacy Is at More Risk Than Ever Before. Can K-12 Schools Keep It Safe? April, 17, 2023; https://www.edsurge.com/news/2023-04-17-student-privacy-is-at-more-risk-than-ever-before-can-k-12-schools-keep-it-safe
74 Interview: Cybersecurity Expert Doug Levin on the Harms of Student Data Hacks, May 31, 2022; https://www.the74million.org/article/74-interview-cybersecurity-expert-levin-on-the-harms-of-student-data-hacks/
K12 Security Information Exchange (K12 SIX). “The State of K-12 Cybersecurity: Year in Review – 2022 Annual Report.” https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e441b46adfb340b05008fe7/t/6228bfe3f412c818293e16e1/1646837732368/StateofK12Cybersecurity2022.pdf
EdWeek Market Brief: K-12 Dealmaking: Frontline Acquired for $3.7B; Illuminate Education Bought by Renaissance; https://marketbrief.edweek.org/marketplace-k-12/k-12-dealmaking-frontline-acquired-3-7b-illuminate-bought-renaissance/
City and State: New York City Council adopts budget, but not without criticism
Chalkbeat NY: NYC teachers union and Adams administration reach tentative deal on 5-year contract
Video: Mayor Adams and UFT Announce Tentative Contract, June 13, 2023
Text of the new proposed UFT contract and Memorandum of Agreement
Amy Zimmer and Reema Amin, Chalkbeat, NYC teachers union and Adams administration reach tentative deal on 5-year contract , June 13, 2023
Leonie Haimson, Department of Education Fails to Plan for Mandatory Class Size Reduction, Gotham Gazette, June 12, 2023;
UFT on the capital plan cuts
Class Size Matters chart with Capital plan cuts by school district and Initial School Galaxy budgets for next year compared to their total Galaxy budgets this year
Sample letter to City Council: Do not allow DOE to cut school budgets and the capital plan once again
Session Slide Notes - The new class size law: is DOE prepared to comply?
Announcement: Annual Parent Conference on Saturday 6-11
Restore DOE Passover Observance Days 2023-2024 School Year Sign-on Form
JTA: NYC public schools don’t have the final two days of Passover off next year. A petition is trying to change that
Chalkbeat: NYC’s 2023-24 school calendar is out, and many teachers aren’t happy
OT/PTS for A Fair Contract
Sign up for Class Size Matters, Annual Parent Action Conference, Saturday, June 10, 2023
Randi Levine, Advocates for Children, Testimony on the FY 24 Executive Budget , May 24, 2023
Chalkbeat, NYC vows to pay pre-K providers after lengthy delay, Nov. 3, 2022
Gothamist, NYC Childcare Centers still face payment delays, Feb. 14, 2023
Campaign for New York Health - https://www.nyhcampaign.org/
MORE UFT Caucus - http://morecaucusnyc.org
NYHA New York State Senate - https://www.nysenate.gov/issues/new-york-health-act
Lawmakers, labor unions negotiating single-payer health care bill - https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/politics/2023/02/10/lawmakers--labor-unions-negotiating-single-payer-health-care-bill
The forced relocation of Edward Reynolds West Side High School as covered in the NYC Parent blog, the Daily News, AM NY, Chalkbeat, Diane Ravitch's blog and the NYC News Service.
Annie Abrams, “Short Changed: How Advanced Placement Cheats Students”
School Stories, How the College Board Enlists HS students to Lobby Albany for AP Funding
Washington Post Answer Sheet, Ben Carson: New AP U.S. history course will make kids want to ‘sign up for ISIS’
David Coleman, Letter about AP US History
Vox, The Controversy over the African American Studies College Board Explained
College Board leaked emails to Florida Ed Department
Science Magazine, The College Board Can't be Trusted
Arthur Goldstein's NYC Educator blog - http://nyceducator.com
Westside High School's fight to stop the re-site proposal:
You can learn more about this from the following news articles and statements:
AM New York: “Upper West Side High Schoolers Protest DOE’s Plans to Relocate Their School to East Harlem”
Daily News: “Proposed Relocation Threatens Transfer Students Access to Critical Resources, Students and Teachers Say”
I Love the Upper West Side: “Students, Families Protest Relocating Upper West Side High School to East Harlem”
“Save West Side: A Poem from the Past, Present, and Future” by Lester Mayers
SAVE E.A.R. Westside High School - The City's First (Alternative) Transfer School
“Why Break Up a Happy Home?”
NYC Parents Blog: Why is the Chancellor so unmoved by their pleas of the students, the staff, and local officials not to force the students of Edward Reynolds HS out of their building?
Gothamist on DOE's previously announced plans to cut school budgets next year:https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-schools-chancellor-warns-of-funding-cuts-as-enrollment-declines
Chalkbeat on the additional 3% cuts to DOE budget that Mayor Adams has now proposed: https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2023/4/4/23670470/nyc-school-education-budget-cuts-eric-adams-david-banks
Information on the NY State Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures: www.nysed.gov/grad-measures/nys-blue-ribbon-commission-graduation-measures
How you can submit your ideas to the Commission at Thought Exchange: https://www.nysed.gov/grad-measures/thoughtexchange
FairTest on how only eight states still require students to pass any standardized state tests, down from 27 states a few years ago: https://fairtest.org/8093-2/
New America research summary, The Case Against Exit Exams: https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/policy-papers/the-case-against-exit-exams/
New Action UFT caucus - https://newaction.org/
Parents, educators, UFT launch court action to block co-location of two Success Academy charters with Queens and Brooklyn public schools
Washington Post Answer Sheet on the bill, More Teaching, Less Testing
Press release from Rep. Bowman's office on the new bill. Click here to read a summary of the bill and a section-by-section description.
Subscribe to Rep. Bowman's newsletter for updates: https://bowman.house.gov/newsletter-subscribe
Daily News on the vote of the Panel for Educational Policy to approve the Mayor's Education Budget
Gothamist on how this budget would cuts school funding once again.
The New 3 Rs - https://thenew3rs.org/
People’s Budget Campaign Launch Meeting The Needs From Harlem To Hollis - https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com/peoples-budget-campaign-launch-meeting-the-needs-from-harlem-to-hollis/
The People's Plan NYC - https://peoplesplan.nyc/
NPR on Judith Heumann's inspiring life
People's Plan Rally on March 7 at 11 AM in front of Tweed against education budget cuts
CBS 60 minutes on the new NYC refugee students and how PS 145M welcomed them;and more at 60 Minutes overtime:
Project Open Arms Spreadsheet with data for schools receiving funding for refugee students
Columbia Spectator on worsening overcrowding at PS 145 in Manhattan
Chalkbeat on the Chicago mayoral race
Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas campaign website on his education record and education agenda
Mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson campaign website on his education agenda
MSNBC Interview with Brandon Johnson
MSNBC Interview with Paul Vallas
Vox - The racist idea that changed American education: How a landmark Supreme Court decision was shaped by the racist idea that poor children can’t learn
The People's Plan NYC
RSVP for the 3/7 People's Budget Campaign Launch #CareNotCuts
Videos of NYC rally on Feb. 3, 2023: elected officials and parent leaders explaining why they oppose raising the cap on charter schools. https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2023/02/legislators-and-parents-speak-out.html
Send a message to NY Governor and state legislators urging them not to raise the charter cap but require more accountability and transparency for the charter sector. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/dont-raise-the-cap-on-charters-instead-dont-make-nyc-pay-their-rent-require-more-accountability?clear_id=true&source=direct_link
Class Size Matters NY state budget testimony, showing how Mayor Adams is planning to cut school budgets again next year despite an increase of $568 million in state Foundation Aid. https://classsizematters.org/state-budget-testimony-doe-is-planning-on-making-even-more-cuts-to-school-budgets-despite-568-million-more-in-state-foundationaid/
The Federalist, Two States Now Have Universal School Choice and Yours Could be Next https://thefederalist.com/2023/01/27/two-states-now-have-universal-school-choice-and-yours-could-be-next/
The Nation, Robbing From the Poor to Educate the Rich https://www.thenation.com/article/society/vouchers-attack-public-education/
Peter Greene, Vouchers Are Not About School Choice. Here's How We Know. https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2023/01/vouchers-are-not-about-school-choice.html·
Diane Ravitch, Charles Siler: a Former Privatizer Changes Sides https://dianeravitch.net/2021/05/04/charles-siler-a-former-privatizer-changes-sides/
Ed Week, Voucher Programs Gains Strength with Help from the Courts https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/voucher-programs-gain-strength-with-help-from-the-courts-an-expert-says/2022/12
American Prospect, Will the Education Culture War Backfire on Republicans? https://prospect.org/education/2023-02-08-republican-public-school-culture-war/
Subscribe to Network for Public Education newsletter at https://networkforpubliceducation.org/
NPE Toolkit: School Privatization Explained https://networkforpubliceducation.org/privatization-toolkit/
NPE list of 76 state voucher bills https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Wo04PewW20Y7SlPI3sgYNd7S_nM-OY9srzrEX0N1gqA/edit#gid=0
follow Carol Burris at @carolburris & Charles Siler at @charles_siler
NYC’s Early Childhood Education Delayed Payment Crisis
NYC’s pre-K workers, programs say they’re in limbo after reorganization
Top NYC early childhood official leaves amid crisis in preschool payment delays
Adams administration pledges to pay childcare centers after funding delays
NYC pols demand answers over ousted early childhood staffers after Post report
United Federation of Teachers rallies against cutbacks to city’s early childhood program
NYC Pre-K and 3-K daycare providers close to closing, need funds
Class Size Matters analysis of the Mayor Adam's preliminary education budget for FY 2024.
Class Size Matters testimony and account of Council hearings on NYC enrollment policies
Chalkbeat on the cancellation of plans to co-locate Success Academy charter schools with public schools in Queens and the Bronx
Recommendations from the Regents Taskforce for Reducing Disparities and Reforming School Discipline in NY State
Double Jeopardy: Teacher Biases, Racialized Organizations, and the Production of Racial/Ethnic Disparities in School Discipline, American Sociological Association, November 18, 2022.
NYC DOE Suspension reports, proposed changes in 2019 and current Disciplinary Code
Chalkbeat on NYC changes in disciplinary policies and NYC downward trend in suspensions
NYCLU on the Safe and Supportive Schools Act
S. 1040. current version of the Safe and Supportive Schools Act, sponsored in the NY Senate by Sen. Robert Jackson
- Educolor - http://educolor.org
The NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees - http://nycretirees.org
Panel for Educational Policy meetings on January 24 and January 25, 2023
Information on Success Charter school Co-location proposals in Queens to be voted upon on January 24 and in the Bronx on January 25
NYC Parent Blog: Comments on charter school co-locations
Gary Rubinstein on Success Academy student attrition rates here and here
Legal judgement against Success Academy charters for pushing out students with disabilities
Mayor Adams gives himself a B+ grade for his first year in office
New schools chief vows to slash bloated DOE, whose budget grew $10B under de Blasio
Chancellor David Banks pumps up DOE bureaucracy amid budget cuts to schools
Controversial NYC $31 million textbook contract offers no discounts despite massive school system
Adams Gives Himself ‘Solid B+’ on First Year. How’s He Done?
NYC Public School Parent blog on Horrible McGraw Hill contract and Daily News on its temporary withdrawal
Panel for Educational Policy meetings on proposed charter school co-locations, scheduled for Dec. 21, Jan. 5 and Jan. 25.
Gary Rubinstein on Success Academy student attrition
Pen America reports on book-banning and how to subscribe to their newsletter on the subject
NY Times on A Fast-Growing Network of Conservative Groups Is Fueling a Surge in Book Bans
Judd Legum on efforts to ban 3600 books from schools
Sue's archive of articles at the New York Post: https://nypost.com/author/susan-edelman/
The FOIL lawsuit memo: https://www.classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/NYP-lawsuit-FOIL-memo-of-law.pdf
Some of the more recent stories we covered in the broadcast:
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NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks, Eric Adams put each other’s girlfriends in top posts
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Chancellor David Banks pumps up DOE bureaucracy amid budget cuts to schools
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NYC principal and cronies secretly demand steep rent from Dominican teachers
| Class Size Matters press release on the Appellate court decision on the school budget cuts lawsuit;news clips from the NY Times, the Daily News, Chalkbeat and Gothamist.Christopher Bonastia, The Battle Nearer to Home: The Persistence of School Segregation in New York City. Order from Barnes and Noble. Under his musical alias Uno Collision, Bonastia has also released a soundtrack album to accompany the book. Several tracks include excerpts of interviews in which individuals reflect upon their experiences in the New York City school system. Let Us Break Bread Together: Integrating New York Public Schools. Based on a project in School Districts 12, 13, and 14. 1954 video produced by the NYC Board of Education. Article explaining to the plan to site schools on a Linear City to be built over the Cross-Brooklyn Expressway with photographsLinear City and Cross-Brooklyn Expressway, 1969 article about plans to site schools on a Linear City to be built over the Cross-Brooklyn Expressway. |
NYC sends $12 million to schools serving newcomers. The city’s budget watchdog says they’re owed more. [https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2022/10/31/23433768/migrant-student-funding-nyc-school]
NYC Council, advocates blast DOE for delaying payments to early childhood programs [https://nypost.com/2022/10/19/nyc-council-advocates-blast-city-for-late-payments-to-child-care-workers/]
Adams administration pledges to pay childcare centers after funding delays [https://gothamist.com/news/adams-administration-pledges-to-pay-childcare-centers-after-funding-delays]
NYC teachers union holds ‘astonishing’ vote of no confidence against schools official [https://nypost.com/2022/11/02/nyc-teachers-union-holds-astonishing-vote-of-no-confidence-against-schools-official/]
Cuts to specialized high schools, a boost to homeless students: NYC task force proposes budget changes [https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2022/11/4/23441309/fair-student-funding-nyc-school-proposal]
https://www.wiesenthal.com/
https://nypost.com/2022/08/14/nyc-parents-want-principal-claire-lowenstein-ousted-from-manhattan-school-for-children/
https://ilovetheupperwestside.com/p-s-333-principal-claire-lowenstein-will-be-removed-from-position/
| Chancellor Banks on why he's keeping selective admissions policies https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2022/10/13/23403030/david-banks-screened-school-admissions-nycThe plight of NYC schools trying to support the new influx of migrant students https://gothamist.com/news/south-bronx-school-struggles-to-accommodate-dozens-of-asylum-seeking-studentsLeonie's visit to one of these schools https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2022/10/my-visit-to-school-that-has-welcomed-50.htmlProject Open Arms organizing volunteers to help these families https://nypost.com/2022/10/17/nyc-public-schools-forming-borough-response-teams-for-migrant-crisis/Comptroller Brad Lander on how these schools need more funding https://comptroller.nyc.gov/newsroom/nyc-schools-face-funding-shortfalls-as-they-step-up-to-meet-needs-of-migrant-students/Class Size Matters 5- minute budget cuts/class size survey https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcsNgIGoGwQrK9MUWb_kYzwZS69VE-G5Iy15EZtAqIn1r6YQ/viewformRegistration for the Real Deal budget forum on Oct. 25 https://nysenate-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jybv8C1bTQq8G5HYkvWPtgProject Open Arms volunteer sign up form https://docs.google.com/document/d/15tm83OwAY8LFVleX7QTni5tlz05ZppNpEI7Ar8vss10/mobilebasicFor more information on the Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council https://www.cpacnyc.com/CPAC’s YouTube Channel |
| Chancellor Adams proposals on middle school and high school admissions in Chalkbeat and Washington PostDaily News oped , A Tale of two school systems, againOral arguments in Appellate Court, Tucker vs City of NY: starting 2 hours and 54 minutes on YouTube here. FAQ for parents and teachers on Regents "exit exams" and why they should be eliminatedShino Tanikawa on Why the Fair Student Funding Task Force report was never released |
Parents to Improve Student Transportation (PIST) - http://pistnyc.org
One Parent's School Transportation Nightmare - https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/education/2021/10/22/for-one-nyc-family--it-took-a-month-for-the-school-bus-to-arrive
Leonie Haimson, Troubling Series of Uncertainties Mars Reopening of New York City Schools, Gotham Gazette
https://www.gothamgazette.com/opinion/11568-uncertainties-reopening-new-york-city-schools-covid-funding
Parents and advocates thank Gov. Hochul and cheer the signing of the class size bill
https://classsizematters.org/parents-and-advocates-thank-gov-hochul-and-cheer-the-signing-of-the-class-size-bill/
Lawmakers hails governor’s signing of bill to reduce class sizes in New York City public schools
https://qns.com/2022/09/governor-signs-bill-to-reduce-class-sizes/
Faith leaders call on Mayor to “immediately restore $469 million cut from public schools”
https://www.jfrej.org/news/2022/08/faith-leaders-pray-nyc-mayor-restorethecuts
The letter itself signed by 140+ NYC faith leaders and groups
https://www.jfrej.org/news/2022/08/faith-leaders-pray-nyc-mayor-restorethecuts
Article about the letter in City and State journal
https://www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2022/08/eric-adams-said-those-complaining-about-budget-cuts-should-pray-religious-leaders-said-s-not-enough/376474/
Leonie & Daniel discussed the latest education news. We interviewed Annie Tan and Liat Olenick, two NYC teachers, who explain why they decided not to return to the classroom next year.
Leonie Haismson, Talk out of School co-host, updated listeners on the lawsuit by parents and teachers against the NYC school budget cuts. And, we also, spoke to parent and educator activists, Reyhan Mehran, Sarah Allen, and Melissa Williams about ventilation in schools. Particularly the controversial contract the city has low-performing, NON-HEPA Intellipure purifiers and the new CDC guidance for COVID mitigations.
Related links:
Mayor Adams called protestors "clowns" and blamed Albany for his budget cuts to schools last night
Updated analysis: total Galaxy school cuts as of July 14 now at $1.42 billion
AQE Digital Toolkit - #RestoreTheCuts
People's Rally to Restore School Budgets - Sunday, July 17th at 10 AM, Bennet Park, Upper Manhattan
Rally for Our Schools - Monday, July 19th, 10 AM, Tweed, Manhattan
Join Bird Dogging Efforts With People's Plan NYC
Protesters against school budget cuts escorted out of mayoral event
Focus returns to NYC’s per-student funding formula as school budget cuts loom
NPE reports on the fraud and waste involved in the federal charter school program are here and here.
A third NPE report details how many for-profit management companies evade state laws banning for-profit charters.
Washington Post What the Biden administration’s new rules for charter schools say
Letter to Gov. Hochul from over 35 elected officials and advocacy groups, urging her to sign the class size bill.
Petition to Gov. Hochul , signed by more than 8,000 of her constituents.
You can also call her office at 518-474-8390.
Leonie Haimson, The moment to cut class size is now, Daily News oped.
Daniel speaks to Leonie, parent leaders, Tom Sheppard and Jonathan Greenberg, and educators, Aixa Rodriguez, Martina Meijer, and Ryan Bruckenthal about the looming school budget cuts for the 2022-23 school year.
- Adams and Council reach $101 billion budget deal, but school cuts remain
- Yaffed website
- NY Supreme Court sides with mother opposed to curriculum at son’s Brooklyn yeshiva
- Court rules city must conclude yeshiva investigation
- De Blasio Must Answer For 'Corrupt' Yeshiva Probe, Advocates Say
Class Size Matters - http://classsizematters.org
Literacy Academy Collective - https://www.literacyacademycollective.org/
Class Size Matters Annual Parent Action Conference on June 4, co-hosted by NYC Kids PAC; More information and to register here.
The New Yorker, The Buffalo Shooter Shopped at Their Gun Stores
NY Post, NY Dems pitch 3-year school control for Adams — with strings attached
Panel for Educational Policy meetings page with members listed here; click on their names for their email addresses.
Send an email to Panel member Kaliris Salas-Ramirez at ksalasramirez@gmail.com and/or Tazin Azad at tazinf@gmail.com
Daniel interviewed, Jonathan Halabi, the longest-serving HS chapter leader, who will share his expert analysis of the 2022 UFT election. Also interviews with the newly elected High School division teachers for UFT Executive Board - Nick Bacon, Ibeth Mejia, Lydia Howrilka, Ed Calamia, Ronnie Almonte, Alex Jallot, and Ilona Nanay.
They share their vision for our union and city schools. You can also tune in online at: http://wbai.org
Student data breach in NYC also impacted charter schools, districts, NY Post, May 6, 2022
Why Mayoral control needs to be amended, Class Size Matters, March 2022
New and Emerging threats to Student and Teacher data privacy, Presentations at the NPE conference, April 30, 2022
Rep. Bowman's website and his The Green New Deal for Public Schools bill
Washington Post, Congress may create massive program to collect college student data, April 4, 2022
Constituents can send their own letters to Congress in opposition to the College Transparency Act here
Rep. Bowman on Twitter; @JamaalBowmanNY; also his Instagram and Tiktok
Bios:
Heather Clarke is a Black Afro-Caribbean mother of 2 small children. She is also neuro-divergent, with an invisible disability. She has over 20 years of experience working as a teacher, and in the field of educational justice and policy, working with children and families with disabilities both in the United States and in other countries. Heather is an Early Childhood and Special Education adjunct professor at Queen’s College, Brooklyn College CUNY, and New York University. She is also a Field Mentor to student teachers at NYU. Through Heather’s The Learning Advocate LLC organization, she consults with parents/guardians, educators, businesses, and organizations on issues around racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, with a focus on the Disability community.
Amshula Jayaram is a campaign strategist and an advocate for racial, social, and economic justice, working for over a decade. Amshula has worked at the federal and state level, on a broad range of issues from post 9/11 abuses such as drone strikes and Guantanamo, to criminal legal reforms to bring accountability & justice to a flawed and racist system. Since November, Amshula has had the honor to join Alliance for Quality Education's AQE’s powerhouse team as Statewide Campaigns Director.
Links:
The Solutions Not Suspension Bill - https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/S767
Solutions Not Suspensions One Pager - https://drive.google.com/file/d/190yaAJQb-clD1J-CWUgrgCtLLDz4x1BQ/view?usp=sharing
AQE - https://www.aqeny.org/
Learning Advocate: www.learning-advocate.com
Learning Advocate Instagram https://www.instagram.com/learning_advocate/
https://www.autisminblack.org/
Daniel interviewed Dr. Doris Lee. She is the founding principal of Village Academy, a small middle school in the Far Rockaway community of NYC. Dr. Lee started her career as a middle school educator in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn. Dr. Lee is a product of NYC public schools.
Also, we shared an interview with Christina Gavin, a District 75 high school librarian in the Bronx. She is the second librarian I’ve interviewed in the last few weeks and she has some really great insights about the school librarian and school libraries in our city schools.
Class Size Matters report shows significant declines in citywide class sizes that will increase once again if Mayor’s budget cuts are made, March 20, 2022
Class Size Matters testimony at the Council education budget hearings, March 21, 2022
COVID Case Counts More Than Doubled in Public Schools Since Last Month, DOE Data Shows, The City, March 23, 2022
NYC education panel breaks with city to reject $82M contract, NY Post, March 24, 2022
Personal data of 820,000 NYC students compromised in hack, NY Post, March 26, 2022
Special Support Services website
NYC DOE Special Education Standard Operating Procedures Manual
NYC DOE IEP Translation Unit
How To Make Parent Support line P311 Work For Your Child
Jennifer Choi testimony at NYS Senate & Assembly hearings on School Governance, March 4, 2022
Surge of complaints by parents of special education students sparks ‘crisis’, Chalkbeat, May 28, 2019
NYC vows to address special education failures detailed in state review. But will their reforms go far enough?, Chalkbeat, July 9, 2019
NYC Special Education Complaint Backlog Grows — Even as Some Hearing Officers Twiddle Thumbs, The City, Nov. 15, 2021
Daniel spoke with two NYC educators.
We talked about the needs & challenges school librarians are facing in NYC public schools with, Arlene Rabuse-Laverde, high school librarian; & also we discussed the new educator podcast, Professional Development, w/ its host, Noah Teachey, 6-12 music teacher. Noah also spoke to the challenges NYC music teachers are facing pre and during the pandemic.
Gothamist, Vaccination rates vary for students attending NYC's public schools, March 9, 2022 https://gothamist.com/news/vaccination-rates-vary-for-students-attending-nycs-public-schools
Books by Yohuru Williams https://www.amazon.com/Books-Yohuru-Williams/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AYohuru+Williams
ACLU, Defending Our Right to Learn, March 10, 2022, https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/defending-our-right-to-learn
UCLA, The Conflict Campaign Exploring Local Experiences of the Campaign to Ban “Critical Race Theory” in Public K–12 Education in the U.S., Jan. 2022, https://idea.gseis.ucla.edu/publications/files/the-conflict-campaign-report,
Inside Higher Ed, How K-12 Book Bans Affect Higher Education, Feb. 20, 2022 https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/02/10/how-k-12-book-bans-affect-higher-education
The Guardian, US conservatives linked to rich donors wage campaign to ban books from schools, Jan. 24, 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jan/24/us-conservatives-campaign-books-ban-schools
Salon, First, the book-banners came for CRT and LGBTQ. Now they're censoring women's history, March 1, 2022, https://www.salon.com/2022/03/01/first-the-book-banners-came-for-crt-and-lgbtq-now-theyre-censoring-womens-history/
The Daily Poster, How Dark Money Shaped The School Safety Debate, https://www.dailyposter.com/how-dark-money-shaped-the-school-safety-debate/ , March 8, 2022
NYC Public School Parents, Why is NYC refusing to report vax rates in schools as required by law, & doing little to increase those numbers?
https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2022/02/why-is-nyc-refusing-to-report-vax-rates.html
Chalkbeat, As NY mulls end to school mask mandate, how many students are vaccinated?
https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2022/2/16/22938022/nyc-student-vaccination-rates-mask-mandate
NYC Public School Parents, DOE absurdly claims that their refusal to report on vaccination rates is due to privacy concerns
https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2022/02/doe-absurdly-claims-that-their-refusal.html
NY Post, Eric Adams expected to tap charter school backer for citywide education panel
https://nypost.com/2022/02/14/eric-adams-expected-to-tap-charter-school-backer-for-citywide-panel
NYC Public school parents, Education advocates and parents speak out against appointment of Joe Belluck to the Panel for Educational Policy
https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2022/02/education-advocates-and-parents-speak.html
Gothamist, Adams' proposed cuts to NYC schools come at "worst possible time," critics say
https://gothamist.com/news/adams-proposed-cuts-nyc-schools-come-worst-possible-time-critics-say
NPR, A top researcher says it's time to rethink our entire approach to preschool
https://www.npr.org/2022/02/10/1079406041/researcher-says-rethink-prek-preschool-prekindergarten
Developmental Psychology, Effects of a statewide pre-kindergarten program on children’s achievement and behavior through sixth grade.
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-18712-001
Gotham Gazette, The Sizable Downside of De Blasio’s Education Record
https://www.gothamgazette.com/opinion/130-opinion/11020-downside-de-blasio-education-record
Class Size Matters, The Impact of PreK on School Overcrowding in NYC: Lack of Planning, Lack of Space
https://classsizematters.org/the-impact-of-prek-on-school-overcrowding-in-nyc-lack-of-planning-lack-of-space
Daniel spoke to NYCDOE educator & parent, Camille Eterno, about the state of our city schools and her run for president of the United Federation of Teachers. They discussed smaller class sizes, mayoral control, health & safety during the pandemic and the response by the DOE and UFT, changes to retiree healthcare, our upcoming teacher contract, school segregation, specialized high school admissions testing, and more!
Chalkbeat, NYC officials keep a lid on data from tests to address ‘learning gaps’
Gothamist, Some NYC Teachers Worry "Learning Loss" Tests Will Exacerbate the Problem
Class Size Matters and Education Law Center, State budget hearings testimony on the DOE’s failure to use state funds appropriately and with required public input
NY Daily News, NYC Education Dept. shortens quarantine for students who test positive for COVID-19 from 10 to 5 days
American Medical Association press release, AMA: CDC quarantine and isolation guidance is confusing, counterproductive
El Diario, Preocupación y confusión entre padres por nuevos cambios en reglas de cuarentena de niños en escuelas de NYC
JD Supra, Mask Mandate; Nassau County Court Decision; Where Are We?
Brooklyn Eagle, Brooklyn Judge Reinstates NY Mask Mandate
Chicago Sun-Times, CPS says change in COVID case reporting wasn’t intended to mislead public
Chicago Sun-Times, Fight over COVID testing of students — and whether CPS disregarded governor’s offer of help — at heart of dispute with union
Podcast: Grading the Drama, DOE Unplugged https://open.spotify.com/show/4Jng3qM0d409DjzRzXGzjv
Bloomberg News, Poor NYC Schools See Twice the Attendance Hit From Covid Surge
Washington Post, New York City high school students stage walkout, citing inadequate covid measures
Daily News, Ransomware feared in weeklong outage of online grading and attendance system used by NYC schools
Gothamist, NYC Education Department Quietly Opens Door For Teachers To Allow More Remote Learning
NYC Public School Parent Blog, Updated guidance from DOE on remote learning
Gotham Gazette, The Sizeable Downside of de Blasio’s education record
NY1, At many schools, the DOE is testing fever kids for Covid than you might think
NYC Public School Parents, Deceptive messaging and multiple gaps in the level of protection from Covid that the DOE is providing students -- but why?
NYC Public School Parents , Update on Omicron and what's happening in schools in NYC and elsewhere to limit transmission
NYC Public School Parents, The city's claim of low in-school transmission is unreliable at best
Reddit , I Am a New York City Public High School Student. The Situation is Beyond Control.
New Yorker, Who Gets the Blame When Schools Shut Down
Gothamist, NYC Schools Bought Weaker Air Purifiers. Now Underventilated Campuses Are More Prone To COVID Cases
Nature: Real-world data show that filters clean COVID-causing virus from air
Daniel shares some of the highlights of the interviews of 2021. From Randi Weingartenn to Dr. David E Kirkland. From Critical Race Theory to Re-opening our schools during the pandemic.
- NYC Council class size bill, Int. 2374, Track Language, Sponsors, Hearings, and Votes
- TV reports on local school protests, rallies, and push for the Int 374 to be voted on: CBS NY News , ABC NYC News, PIX News 11 .
- Gothamist, Teachers Union, Parents Push For Class Size Bill As Legislative Session Winds Down.
- Send an email to Speaker Corey Johnson to urge him to bring the bill to a vote
- Education Law Center, From Courthouse to Statehouse—and Back Again; The Role of Litigation in School Funding Reform
Jersey City Times, Jersey City to Benefit as Feds Order Restoration of School Funding Cuts
Resources:
Intro 2374 - The City Council class size reduction bill
How parents can help get this passed - Sign the UFT petition and check out Class Size Matters campaign
Gothamist's investigation of defective Intellipure air purifiers and higher Covid rates in schools without mechanical ventilation systems.
Chalkbeat NY - Settlement to give Black and Latino students more access to NYC high school sports teams
Get vaccinated and get your booster - School vaccination sites and schedules and city-run sites.
Maurice T. Cunningham, Dark Money and the Politics of School Privatization and Mass Politics Profs blog Local News:
Local News:
NYC Public School Parents, Unanswered questions about DESSA, the DOE's social-emotional screener, and what parents should do
Class Size Matters testimony on Intro 2374 and the need to lower class size
Testimony on class size from Regent Kathy Cashin, Diane Ravitch and others
NYC Council co-sponsors and text of the class size bill, Intro 2374
Background on dark money and stealth campaigns of school privatization in NY and MA:
NY Times, Charter Schools’ New Cheerleaders: Financiers, May 9, 2010
WNYC, Who Is Behind the Pro-Charter Schools Group Fighting de Blasio?, March 6, 2014
NY Times, Cuomo Played Pivotal Role in Charter School Push, April 3, 2014
Politico, Pro-charter group sets lobby record, Dec. 12, 2014
The Nation, 9 Billionaires Are About to Remake New York’s Public Schools—Here’s Their Story, March 19, 2015
Peter Greene, Who Put the D in DFER? March 28, 2015
WBUR, Where The Money Comes From In The Fight Over Charter Schools, Oct. 27, 2016
NY Times, Super PACs’ Spend Freely as Control of New York Senate Hangs in Balance, Nov. 6, 2016
WBUR, Pro-Charter School Group Pays State $425,000 For Failing To ID Donors, Sept. 12, 2017
Politico, After a political rout, New York’s wealthiest charter group searches for an identity, Nov. 15, 2017
WBUR, CEO Of Group That Heavily Backed 2016 Charter School Ballot Q Is Ousted For Alleged Misconduct, Feb. 1, 2018
Politico, Families for Excellent Schools planning to close following CEO's firing, Feb.5, 2018
WBUR, Organization Behind Charter Push In Mass. Will Close Amid Scandal, Feb. 6, 2018
WBUR, As A Pressure Group Folds, Mass. Charter Advocates Survey The Damage, Feb. 7, 2018
Politico, Pro-Adams PAC drops an ad following police-focused debate, May 14, 2021
WBUR, As A Pressure Group Folds, Mass. Charter Advocates Survey The Damage, Feb. 7, 2018
Politico, Pro-Adams PAC drops an ad following police-focused debate, May 14, 2021
Daniel Alicea interviewed long-time radical activist, teacher, writer, and scholar, Dr. Sam Anderson about the struggle for community control of the school governance of New York City public schools. We discussed the trajectory from the experiment of Ocean Hill-Brownsville to decentralization from 1969-2002, and the advent of present-day mayoral control of NYC schools.
NY1, NYC phasing out separate gifted classes
NYTimes on Local 372workers: They Kept Schools Running as Covid Raged: ‘We Had to Be Here’
NY State & NYC Joint Education Committee Oct. 5 hearings on the city's spending of additional state and federal aid to schools
Class Size Matters testimony at the state hearings
Resources: Audrey Watters new book, published by MIT Press, “Teaching Machines: The History of Personalized Learning”
Latest NY Times article on the current state of the vaccine mandate for teachers and school staff
New New York State Senate bill requiring a remote learning option for NYC students and AM NY article about it
NYC Public School Parents on the new interim computerized assessments purchased by DOE for $36 million
Allen Golston of Gates Foundation quote on the purpose of education
Video of Mario Savio 1964 speech
Resources:
NYC DOE school reopening plan
Class Size Matters testimony on the plan
The Major Problems with NYC's School Reopening Plan
Video: Rabbis urging vaccination
Air purification: Intellipure model that DOE purchased for $43 million lacks HEPA filters, and independent experts rank the model among the most expensive and least efficient on the market.
Testing protocol: Los Angeles schools are doing weekly Covid testing of all students and staff, vs. NYC which is only testing one tenth of unvaccinated students once every two weeks.
FEMA fact sheet on how the federal government will cover the entire cost of staffing and Covid testing for any school district, through December 31, 2021.
Social distancing: Mark Cannizzaro, the President of the Principal Union, on how the majority of NYC’s roughly 1700 public schools would not be able to achieve 3 feet of social distancing this year.
Remote learning: DOE has refused to offer a remote option to New York City students unlike most other districts, despite the advocacy of many parents, elected officials, and organizations.
Press NYC - http://pressnyc.org
Osterholm Update: COVID-19 - https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/podcasts-webinars/episode-66
Resources:
- NY Times - As Schools Prepare to Reopen Fully, Covid Safety Rules Are in Flux
- Mark Cannizzaro, CSA President - Letter to Mayor de Blasio
- Chalkbeat - ‘A two-tiered level of safety’: Some NYC schools can follow social distancing, others cannot
- NY Times - Los Angeles and Chicago schools to mandate teacher vaccinations
- Joanne Golann - Scripting the Moves, Princeton Univ. Press
- Uncommon Schools - Teacher Training Video
- KIPP - Retiring their motto: “Work hard, be nice”
UFT: 50 Years: https://www.uft.org/files/attachments/uft-50-years-book.pdf
The Teacher Rebellion by David Selden
https://www.amazon.com/Teacher-Rebellion-David-Selden/dp/0882582356
Schools Against Children: The Case for Community Control
https://www.amazon.com/Schools-Against-Children-Community-Control/dp/0853451621
Blackboard Unions by Marjorie Murphy
https://www.amazon.com/Blackboard-Unions-AFT-NEA-1900-1980/dp/0801423651/
City Unions: Managing Discontent in New York City by Mark Meir
https://www.amazon.com/City-Unions-Managing-Discontent-York/dp/0813512298
Tough Liberal: Albert Shanker and the Battles Over Schools, Unions, Race, and Democracy by Richard Kahlenberg
https://www.amazon.com/Tough-Liberal-Democracy-Columbia-Contemporary/dp/0231134975
The Strike That Changed New York: Blacks, Whites, and the Ocean Hill-Brownsville Crisis by Jerald E. Podair
https://www.amazon.com/Strike-That-Changed-York-Hill-Brownsville/dp/0300109407
The Untold History of Charter Schools - By Rachel Cohen
https://democracyjournal.org/arguments/the-untold-history-of-charter-schools/?fbclid=IwAR2W8e5e-7kdX8OoPxpCrvHn1ndklXPBkxnxwTLnaxv1q_h2IRVqaAdyS5Y
- The new City Council class size bill (Int. No. 2374)
- The 72 schools in the DOE’s “class size” pilot
- Five myths of Mayoral Control
- Information on vaccination sites next week in schools for children 12 and up
- Contract for Excellence hearings next week, including their locations
- Talking points for parents and teachers who attend these hearings
-------------------
Resources:
- UFT: 50 Years: https://www.uft.org/files/attachments/uft-50-years-book.pdf
- The Teacher Rebellion by David Selden
https://www.amazon.com/Teacher-Rebellion-David-Selden/dp/0882582356
- Schools Against Children: The Case for Community Control by Anne Rubenstein
https://www.amazon.com/Schools-Against-Children-Community-Control/dp/0853451621
- Blackboard Unions by Marjorie Murphy
https://www.amazon.com/Blackboard-Unions-AFT-NEA-1900-1980/dp/0801423651/
- City Unions: Managing Discontent in New York City by Mark Meir
https://www.amazon.com/City-Unions-Managing-Discontent-York/dp/0813512298
- Tough Liberal: Albert Shanker and the Battles Over Schools, Unions, Race, and Democracy by Richard Kahlenberg
https://www.amazon.com/Tough-Liberal-Democracy-Columbia-Contemporary/dp/0231134975
- The Strike That Changed New York: Blacks, Whites, and the Ocean Hill-Brownsville Crisis by Jerald E. Podair
https://www.amazon.com/Strike-That-Changed-York-Hill-Brownsville/dp/0300109407
Resources:
Gotham Gazette, In Mayoral Primary, Spending in Support of Adams More Than Combined Total for Garcia and Wiley on how Eric Adams campaign benefitted from millions spent by pro-charter school PAC
Chalkbeat, NYC’s budget deal pilots smaller class sizes, dedicates millions to COVID learning loss
NYC DOE summary of their Academic Recovery Plan
Tom Loveless’ book, Between the State and the Schoolhouse, Understanding the Failure of Common Core. [Use code BSSS21 to get 20% off when ordering from Harvard Education Press; offer expires 8/13/2021.]
His blog is at https://tomloveless.com/. You can also follow him at @tomloveless99
Resources:
-
The Right Has Chosen Critical Race Theory as Its New Boogeyman to Scare Voters – by David E Kirkland
-
Honesty on critical race theory – by Dianne Ravitch
-
What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack? - By Stephen Sawchuk
Resources:
- Class Size Matters’ video on why class sizes should be reduced in NYC schools
- Bronx Parent Leaders Advocacy Group Facebook page
- The group’s concerns and a Chalkbeat article on their advocacy.
- Ross Barkan’s new book, The Prince: Andrew Cuomo, Coronavirus, and the Fall of New York
- Ross Barkan's newsletter, Political Currents
Resources:
- NYC Public School Parents - Controversy Over Comments of Mayoral Candidate Eric Adams on Class Size
- Class Size Matters - Report with charts comparing positions of Mayoral candidates on public education
- DYCD - Info on how to apply for Summer School
- NY Daily News - NYC school officials struggle to plan for fall school opening — task ‘extremely difficult’ and sometimes ‘impossible’
Resources:
- Citizens' Committee for Children Survey of NYC Youth
- How to urge legislative leaders to pass A. 7447/S.6296, the bill that would require NYC schools to start lowering class size.
- Advocates for Children new report, Police Response to Students in Emotional Crisis
- Call Advocates for Children of New York’s Helpline number at (866) 427-6033, Mon-Thursday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.for any family who has experienced NYPD child in crisis interventions or has questions about other education-related issues
- Healing-Center Schools Task Force report, Community Roadmap to Bring Healing-Centered Schools to the Bronx
- Visit bit.ly/RoadmapToHealing, for more details and registration for their upcoming feedback sessions.
- Click here to read about the launch of the Healing-Centered Schools Task Force
Resources:
- Mayor de Blasio’s announcement on Morning Show that there would be no remote learning option next year
- NYC Chancellor Meisha Porter’s letter to families about DOE reopening plans
- Randi Weingarten’s May 13 speech, Return, Recover and Reimagine: Toward A Renaissance in America's Public Schools. Video here, transcript here.
- Gothamist, Social Distancing Requirements Will Be Pivotal In NYC Schools Reopening Next Fall
- How the Billions of Additional School Funds should be spent: Results from the May 22 Parent Action Conference, co-sponsored by Class Size Matters, NYC Kids PAC, and Teens Take Charge
Resources:
- Registration for NYC Kids PAC Parent Action Conference co-sponsored with Class Size Matters
- NYC Kids PAC website
- Information on voting in NYC with deadlines for registration etc.
Resources:
- Panel for Educational Policy agenda for May 18 meeting and contract list; instructions on how to listen or comment here.
- Daily News article on proposed closure of PS 88 in the Bronx.
- NY Times 2006 profile of Kathleen Cashin and her work as a Superintendent and Regional Superintendent.
- Regent Cashin’s op-ed on what happened in her schools when class size was reduced.
Resources:
- Danny Dromm’s activism in advocating for gay rights and on the Rainbow Curriculum
- Mayor de Blasio’s budget proposal for FY 2022
- City Council’s budget response
- Regent Kathy Cashin’s Daily News op-ed on the importance of lowering class size
- NYS Senate bill S. 6296 to require NYC to update their class size reduction plan
- Class Size Matters report on DOE over-payments for charter school rent and underpayments to NYC public schools in matching funds for facility enhancements
Resources:
- Mayor de Blasio’s agreement to fully fund schools’ Fair Student Funding (FSF) formula next year
- Local Law 17 of 2019 to create a Fair Student Funding Task Force that would release a report by Sept. 30, 2019 with recommendations on how to improve the FSF formula; which was never released
- Testimony of Shino Tanikawa, member of the FSF Taskforce, on how the FSF formula discourages smaller classes
- City Council proposal to spend $250 million on class size reduction next year
- Court decision requiring the city test charter school students and staff for Covid and city’s appeal of this decision
- For more information about the April 26 CEC 16 Community Town Hall about School Safety, go to https://www.cec16.org/ or email cec16@schools.nyc.gov
- The link to register for the webinar is: https://nycdoe.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WmP4QVh7T3mxdj5vbjBCJw .
Resources:
- Daily News - More state foundation aid funding for the next three years
- Daily News - Parental consent required for state tests in NYC schools this year
- Gotham Gazette - NYC Dept. of Education overspending on charter school rent and underspending on matching funds to public schools
- President Biden’s proposal on increasing federal aid to schools
- Class Size Matters/NYC Kids PAC on how additional federal/state funds should be spent
- Class Size Matters' petition
Resources:
- New Class Size Matters report on overspending on charter facilities and underspending on public school matching funds
- Daily News article; and WCBS TV segment on the lack of matching funds.
- AQE: Send a letter to Gov. Cuomo and state leaders on protecting students in the state budget by taxing the ultra-wealthy
- More on Outward Bound NYC public schools, including MS 839.
- Gothamist article on different proposals that have been made for the use of the federal funds, including reducing class size.
Resources:
- Class Size Matters testimony on why DOE should use federal funds to lower class size, for the sake of social distancing and stronger academic/social support; also our fact sheet on the issue.
- Panel for Educational Policy webpage; you can sign in here to listen and comment tonight, March 24, starting at 5:30 PM, and also next month on April 28.
- Tom Sheppard, PEP member can be reached at tomcsheppard@yahoo.com and you can follow him on twitter at @tomcsheppard
Resources:
- Panel for Educational Policy meetings and agendas
- Panel for Educational Policy members
- Class Size Matters’ Testimony on the Five myths of Mayoral control
- US Department of Education decision to reject states’ request for waivers from mandated standardized testing
- Leaked DOE memo from July 2020 on the gifted program.
- National polls from Morning Consult and Pew show a majority of voters believe teachers should be vaccinated before schools reopen
- My blog on why Biden should focus on getting teachers vaccinated rather than making them administer standardized tests
- Letter from CM Dromm/Treyger about making sure federal funding programs doesn’t allow states and district to cut back by same or greater amount
- Chalkbeat on Carranza’s resignation and record
- NYPD plans to hire 475 School Safety agents this year
- Districts elsewhere are moving these agents from police to school control and diverting funds to hiring more social workers and counselors
- Chalkbeat reports on struggles of families of 3rd-graders doing remote learning
- National poll showing majority of voters believe teachers should be vaccinated before schools reopen
- US Department of Education decision to reject states’ request for waivers from mandated standardized testing
- Politico - NYPD plan to hire 475 School Safety agents this year
- NY Times - Schools and districts elsewhere in the nation moving school police offers from police to school control and diverting funding towards hiring more social workers and counselors instead
- Congresswoman AOC’s tutoring program: Orientation
- Application for homework help
- School Finance, Race, and Reparations, article co-authored by Preston Green, Bruce Baker and Joseph Oluwole
Resources on state education aid:
- AQE 2021 Budget Testimony and Side by Side Analysis of Executive Budget
- AQE Report: The State's Responsibility to Protect Our Students
- Invest in Our NY revenue proposals
Resources on student data privacy and security:
- Parent survey from the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy
- FBI/CISA recent warning about rise in ransomware attacks on K12 schools and ZDnet article about this.
- FBI warning in 2018 to parents warning how student data could be used to extort and threaten students.
- 2019 Letter from US Senators asking ed tech companies to explain how they collect and use student data
- NY Times op-ed by Shoshana Zuboff on tech surveillance and epistemic inequality
- 5 principles that policies and laws should incorporate to protect student privacy from the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy
- Bibliography on problems with online proctoring
- Parent Toolkit to Protect Student Privacy
- The new book, Black Lives Matter at School: An Uprising for Educational Justice
- Cancel the Gifted and Talented Test Now, Not Next Year, Gotham Gazette
- What the leaked DOE memo about the gifted program reveals, NYC Public School Parents blog
- Video of FairTest forum on why the US Dept. of Education should waive the federally mandated tests this spring
- NY State Education Department announcement that they intend to ask for a federal waiver, with instructions on how to provide comment
- The documentary The Inconvenient Truth behind Waiting for Superman about the fight against privatization and school closures, narrated by Brian Jones
- Excerpt from the book in the Washington Post—with essays by Jesse Hagopian and Brian Jones
- Black Lives Matter at School Resources
The contract with Pearson to renew their contract for the gifted exam is to be voted upon on January 27 by the Panel for Education Policy; people who would like to speak on this contract can register here, starting at 5:30 PM.
NYSAPE petition urging the State Commissioner to cancel the Regents high school exit exams and to ask the US Department of Education for a waiver from having to administer the 3rd-8th grade exams this spring.
FairTest petition to the US Department of Education and State education policymakers to suspend all high stakes testing this year.
Fact sheet on what’s wrong with the Regents graduation exit exams.
- Jal Mehta, “Make Schools More Human: The pandemic showed us that education was broken. It also showed us how to fix it,” NY Times, Dec. 23, 2020
- Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine, In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School
- For more information and details about middle and high school enrollment process for next year, you can visit the DOE’s website.
- New Admissions Changes For NYC Middle & High Schools “First Step” Towards Diversity, Advocates Say, Gothamist, Dec. 19, 2020
- Recommendations of the Mayor’s Student Diversity Advisory Group, August 2019
- Black Segregation Matters, UCLA Civil Rights Project report showing extreme segregation of NY State and NYC schools, December 17, 2020
- What Bill doesn’t get about diversity: His school admissions announcement fails the test by Taylor McGraw, NY Daily News, December 22, 2020.
- Lower class size and school integration go hand in hand by Shino Tanikawa and Leonie Haimson. NY Daily News, May 17, 2019.
- Results of parent survey of students with disabilities including their remote class sizes.
- Registration for UFT Saturday Student Enrichment classes in December.
- Parent Coalition for Student Privacy summary of some of the most important provisions of the NYS Student privacy law and regulations.
- Spreadsheet with more than 100 ed tech programs that NYC teachers have been asked to assign to their students and their privacy grades, if available.
- Sen. Brad Hoylman letter to DOE, Nov. 11, 2020 urging them to comply with the law and post information concerning their privacy provisions for these programs, and an article in Chalkbeat on the same issue.
Advocates for Justice website; Laura Barbieri’s email is lbarbieri@advocatesny.com
Legal Assistance Hotline of NYC Legal Services at 917-661-4500 (Mon-Fri, 10am to 4pm), which low-income parents can call if their children have been denied their educational or civil rights in charter or public schools.
Information about the “Got to Go” list lawsuit and $1.1 million settlement, recently awarded families of children who were pushed out of Success Academy.
PBS News Hour show, “Is Kindergarten too young to suspend a student”, which aired on Oct. 12, 2015, about Success Academy’s disciplinary practices.
US Department of Education and the NY State Education Department determinations that Success Academy and CEO Eva Moskowitz violated student privacy laws at the federal and state levels. Articles about this in the Daily News and Education Week.
Dany Mangrove’s video about her experiences working at Success Academy high school.
See also the Instagram site, Survivors of Success Academy, for more accounts of Success Academy teachers, parents and students about the abusive and discriminatory practices of this charter chain.
Peter Greene’s blog Curmudgucation and his post on the automated essay grading program called Ecree. His column in Forbes and articles in The Progressive.
Resources and Links:
- Video: Denisha Jones’ question about standardized testing and Joe Biden’s response at the AFT forum in January 2020.
- Education Next - What a Democratic Sweep This Fall Would Mean for Education
- Education Next - Biden’s Regulatory Agenda on Education
Notes and Resources:
- Sign-up form for NYC parents for their children to attend school for in-person learning (deadline Nov. 15)
- More information on the reaction to DOE’s reversal, now allowing opt-in only once this year
- Insights in Education report, “COVID-19 and Schools: What We Can Learn from Six Months of Closures and Reopening”
- Insights in Education country tracker
- The UNESCO Map showing COVID-19 Impact on Education
Links and Resources:
- Noliwe Rooks, Cutting School: The Segrenomics of American Education
- William Doyle, Let the Children Play: For the Learning, Well-being and Life Success of Every Child, co-authored by Pasi Sahlberg
- Segment about Finnish schools in Michael Moore’s documentary, “Where to Invade Next”
Resources:
- Young Advocates for Fair Education [Yaffed]
- Cutting School: Privatization, Segregation, and the End of Public Education by Noliwe Rooks
Links and Resources
- K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center and its district self-assessment tool
- NY State Senator Brad Hoylman website
- Revenue bills introduced in the Legislature sponsored by Sen. Hoylman include:a pied-a-terre tax on non-primary residences valued at $5m or more, a repeal of tax breaks for yachts and private jets, authorizing New York City to be able to impose a tax on vacant commercial storefronts, and close the carried interest loophole. Sen. Hoylman is also a co-sponsor of a bill by Senator Robert Jackson to enact an ultra-millionaires tax and direct the proceeds to school funding through Foundation Aid. His bill to strengthen charter school accountability is here.
Resources:
- InsideSchools website
- InsideSchools plus
- InsideSchools free course for parents: "How to Support Online Learning at Home"
Alliance for Quality Education report: Set Up to Fail: How Cuomo’s School Cuts Target New York’s Black & Brown Students
For more information on AQE’s planned 9/12/20 actions on school funding, contact Maria@aqeny.org
News on Albany school cuts and Schenectady layoffs
Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood’s statement urging schools to minimize screen time and ed tech
Also: CCFC petition on this issue and an article on the subject
The Parent Toolkit for Student Privacy, created by CCFC and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy
Jamaal Bowman’s education platform and his ideas for opening schools in a time of COVID-19.
Advocates for Children website
AFC Guides and resources
AFC NY Helpline: Call (866) 427-6033 on Monday to Thursday, 10 am to 4 pm
Op Ed on how homeless students need special attention in NYC’s school reopening plan
American Counseling Association (ACA)
American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
College Access Consortium of New York (CACNY)
DegreesNYC
Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice
Options Center College Counseling at Goddard Riverside
Interrupting Racism: Equity and Social Justice in School Counseling (2019, Atkins & Oglesby)
National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
National College Attainment Network (NCAN)
New York State School Counselor Association (NYSSCA)
https://annietan.com/home/about/#media
https://blacklivesmatteratschool.com
https://cunystruggle.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BronxEducatorsUnited4Justice/
http://www.free-cuny.org/
https://hope4college.com/
https://jamilahammami.com/about/
https://morecaucusnyc.org/
https://www.rankandfileaction.com/
https://ima-mfa.hunter.cuny.edu/?ima-faculty=reiko-tahara
DOE still has no plan to fill nursing shortage ahead of school reopening, by Sara Dorn, New York Post
Solving the School Nurse Crisis Before Schools Reopen, by Kim Watkins, Gotham Gazette
Does the Covid pandemic spell the end of public schools?, by Johann Neem, USA Today
COVID-19 "Microschools" Are Betsy DeVos's Lastest Privatization Scheme, by Candice Bernd, Truthout
Harvard Epidemiologist: 'Hybrid' Model For Reopening Schools Is 'Probably Among The Worst' Options, by Joe Mathieu, WGHBH
NY DOE State DOH reopening plan
Links to alternative reopening plans by CM Treyger and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
Teachers' plea for outdoor learning - NY Daily News by Liat Olenick, Darcy Whittemore and Heather Costanza
Schools Beat Earlier Plagues With Outdoor Classes. We Should Too ... New York Times by Ginia Bellafante
Petition for Outdoor Schooling Now!
Contact your legislators now – schools desperately need funding to reopen safely next fall! Action Alert from Class Size Matters
Governor Cuomo’s announcement of the metrics that will determine whether schools can be reopened in NY state in the fall.
Detailed guidelines released by the state Department of Health and the Board of Regents.
Class Size Matters and NYC Kids PAC proposals for the safe reopening of schools; letter to the Board of Regents and Summary of ideas from our June 20 conference.
How the need for social distancing brings in sharper focus the inequities of class size across the city.
Council Member Brad Lander’s oped and draft plan.
Information on the increase in wealth among NY state billionaires during the pandemic.
NY State Legislature bills that would raise revenue to support our schools during the pandemic and help pay for child care and wrap around services, including increasing taxes on the ultra-wealthy.
Charter schools and the Payroll Protection Program
Carol Burris and Marla Kilfoyle, Did some charter schools double-dip in federal coronavirus relief funding?, Washington Post
Erica Green, Charter Schools, Some With Billionaire Benefactors, Tap Coronavirus Relief, NY Times
Network for Public Education, What do you think? Are charter schools public schools or small businesses?
Email info@networkforpubliceducation.org if you discover that charter schools in your community have applied for or received PPP funds.
Resources about race and racism in schools and the larger society
Center on Culture, Race and Equity: Equity & Culturally Responsive Resources and Black Lives Matters at Schools Symposium
Imani Perry, Racism is Terrible. Blackness is Not, Atlantic
Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States
Howard Zinn, A Young People’s History of the United States
Beverly Tatum, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: And Other Conversations About Race
Shawn Ginwright, The Future of Healing: Shifting from Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Engagement, Medium
For more information on ending the school to prison pipeline, check out this letter signed by hundreds of NYC school leaders urging the Mayor to transfer School Safety Agents to the supervision of principals rather than the NYPD, and the websites of the YA-YA Network and Dignity in Schools campaign.
To find out about the campaign of Teens Take Charge to end school admission screens, check out their website; see also their proposals about how the SYEP could be reconfigured to meet the needs of youth and the community at this time.
The Policing and Social Justice Project
The End of Policing by Alex Vitale (free Ebook)
Alliance for Quality Education
Communities United for Police Reform (CPR)
"Smoking gun" emails revealing Mayor de Blasio promised to delay and soften the Yeshiva report in exchange for renewing Mayoral control
Letter to Gov. Cuomo on his decision to partner with the Gates Foundation to "reimagine our schools"
The letter, signed by Class Size Matters, NY State Allies for Public Education, and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy was quoted by the AP, in US News and World Report, NY Post,and Gothamist among others.
The report from the American Federation of Teachers, A PLAN TO SAFELY REOPEN AMERICA’S SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.
Michael Mulgrew's Daily News oped, The kind of testing schools really need: Better coronavirus screening is imperative if the nation’s largest public school system is to reopen in the fall
"Cut the Contracts, Save our Schools" campaign including instructions on speaking out at the Panel for Educational Policy meeting
The recently-announced DOE grading policy
The letter on school grading to Mayor DeBlasio and Chancellor Carranza from advocates
Links to learn more about topics discussed on the show:
Excessive spending by NYC Dept. of Education on busing and other contracts this year: Two articles in the NY Post here and here.
Two posts in the NYC Public School Parents blog here and here
Challenges of remote learning for teachers especially those with children at home
The controversy over grading in NYC during remove learning and school shutdowns
How to honor the 50th anniversary of Earth Day by taking action on the climate crisis
Chad Marlow, Those “Free” Remote Learning Apps Have a High Cost: Your Student’s Privacy
Educator Toolkit for Student and Teacher Privacy
Parent Toolkit for Student Privacy
Cheri Kiesecker on how to check the settings for your child’s Google classroom/Gsuite account
The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators website
Among the issues we discussed:
Mayor de Blasio's delay in closing schools
...despite the advice of many scientists
NYC Department of Education (DOE) cancellation of Zoom amid serious privacy concerns
The NY state and NYC decision to eliminate school spring break
DOE's refusal to release educator and school staff health and mortality data amid the Coronavirus pandemic
AFT links:
Randi Weingarten’s essay, On how teachers and students should cap this unprecedented school year
Share My Lesson with teacher resources.
Colorín Colorado! A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners
Privacy links:
The Educator Toolkit for Student and Teacher Privacy – written by the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy and Badass Teachers Association (with support from the AFT )
The ACLU recommendations on what should be demanded of ed tech companies at this critical time
Advice to parents from the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy on maximizing privacy and minimizing screen time
A model privacy-protective Google contract negotiated by NYS administrators that other districts could adopt
Akil Bello's blog - akilbello.com
FairTest - the National Center for Fair & Open Testing
NYC schools that skip standardized tests have higher graduation rates
NY state tests suspended for remainder of school year
Talking pineapple question on state exam stumps... everyone!
As high school exit exams fall out of favor in Washington and New Jersey, New York is increasingly an outlier
Alliance for Quality Education
Emily James, Huffington Post, "I'm a Teacher, and it Feels Like my City Doesn't Care About My Life."
Advice to parents from the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy about how to maximize student privacy and minimize screen time in the midst of the coronavirus crisis
Audrey Watters blog, Hack Education
Let the Children Play - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/let-the-children-play-9780190930967?cc=us⟨=en&#
Long Island Opt Out - https://www.facebook.com/groups/Longislandoptout/
NYSAPE - https://nysape.org/
CBOs for Equity - www.cboequity.org/
Jamaal Bowman's campaign website - www.bowmanforcongress.com/
Arthur Goldstein's blog - http://nyceducator.com/
Bronx Educators United for Justice - https://www.facebook.com/groups/BronxEducatorsUnited4Justice/
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/let-the-children-play-9780190930967?cc=us⟨=en&
https://www.finlandcenter.org/new-page
https://www.nysape.org
Network for Public Education: https://networkforpubliceducation.org
ECE Policyworks: https://ecepolicyworks.com
Defending the Early Years: https://dey.org
Illinois Families for Public School: https://www.ilfps.org/
Links to articles on the federal class action lawsuit:
https://www.studentprivacymatters.org/federal-class-action-lawsuit-filed-vs-college-boards-predatory-practices/
https://loevy-content-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2019/12/1.-Complaint.pdf
Network for Public Education report: Still Asleep at the Wheel
NPE Action Conference
Education Voters, PA
Curmudegation Blog
NPE Report: https://networkforpubliceducation.org/stillasleepatthewheel/
Red State Revolt by Eric Blanc: https://www.versobooks.com/books/2955-red-state-revolt
Diane Ravitch's new book, Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization.
Network for Public Education and NPE Action.
Diane Ravitch's blog.
Leonie Haimson speaks with Naftuli Moster, founder of Young Advocates for Fair Education (YAFFED), about his five - year campaign, in the courts and in the political arena, to ensure that Ultra Orthodox Yeshivas comply with the law and that their students receive a minimally adequate education.
Jessica Levin of the Education Law Center and Katherine Dunn of the Southern Poverty Law Center talk to Carol Burris about their new organizational joint effort to inform the public about school voucher programs: Public Funds Public Schools. Burris discusses how vouchers are part of the effort of Secretary of Education Betsy De Vos's push to transform public education to a privatized system.
https://pfps.org
https://networkforpubliceducation.org
Catch up on this week's episode where Leonie Haimson talked with NYC Council Member,Mark Treyger, chair of the Education Committee on what we learned from yesterday's Council hearings on excessive high-stakes testing in NYC schools. Then we were joined by Christopher Werth, whose ground breaking WNYC investigations on lead contamination in NYC schools helped lead to a new round of testing and remediation by the NYC Department of Education. Originally aired on WBAI Free Speech Radio 99.5 FM on Sep. 25, 2019.
Follow these links to learn more -
Education Law Center: https://edlawcenter.org/
Class Size Lawsuit:https://www.classsizematters.org/we-filed-an-appeal-in-our-class-size-lawsuit-to-require-nyc-department-of-education-to-lower-class-size-in-all-grades/
Senator John Liu: https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/john-c-liu
More on the proposal of NY State education department to allow for the selling of student data and its use for marketing purposes here. Here's a sample message if you'd like to provide a comment to the State about this proposal, with a deadline for comment of Sept. 16.
Here's the copy of the report of the School Diversity Advisory Committee.